New York, USA, 25 September 2025: The International Young Catholic Students (IYCS) made a significant mark at the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY30). Representing the movement, Mr. Roshan Melwyn Lobo, Secretary General of IYCS, and Mr. Jonathan Pagel, Member of the IYCS Advocacy Commission, actively participated in the sessions and panel discussions. Their presence demonstrated IYCS’s strong commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its mission to empower young students worldwide through education, civic engagement, and faith-based action.

The High Level Meeting, organized to commemorate 30 years of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY), gathered world leaders, diplomats, youth representatives, and civil society organizations to discuss key issues affecting the younger generation. The deliberations focused on crucial themes such as education, health, gender equality, intergenerational solidarity, digital transformation, peace, and climate action. “Hope” emerged as a unifying theme of the dialogue, emphasizing that young people are not merely beneficiaries but active drivers of change in building a better and more inclusive world. The discussions highlighted the importance of educating and empowering young people to provide solutions to global challenges, fostering intergenerational partnerships, and promoting intellectual curiosity and collaboration across generations.

During his visit, Secretary General Roshan Melwyn Lobo had the honor of meeting Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See, as well as members of the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. These discussions reaffirmed the shared vision of the Catholic Church and IYCS in promoting peace, human rights, intergenerational dialogue, and the dignity of all persons. The meeting also emphasized the vital role of faith-based youth movements like IYCS in shaping moral and spiritual perspectives in international policymaking.

In addition to his engagements with the Holy See, Mr. Lobo also met with members of the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organizations (ICMYO) and the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY). These meetings created opportunities for strengthening collaboration among global youth networks, enhancing youth participation in decision-making processes, and ensuring that the voices of students and young people are actively represented in global policy dialogues.

The WPAY30 commemoration also featured the YouthLead Dialogues, a global youth-led initiative coordinated by the United Nations Youth Office (UNYO). More than 75,000 children and young people from over 180 countries participated by sharing their experiences, challenges, and aspirations for a just and sustainable future. Their contributions, captured in the YouthLead Summary Report, identified key priorities such as education, health, technology, environment, and civic engagement, offering a roadmap for collective global action.

The participation of IYCS in the High Level Meeting reaffirmed the movement’s global mission of forming young people who are conscious, competent, and committed to living faith through action. Through its engagement with policymakers, Church leaders, and international organizations, IYCS continues to bridge faith, education, and social transformation to build a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world. The message resonating throughout the event — “Invest in us, listen to us, and partner with youth” — serves as a reminder that young people must be seen not only as beneficiaries but as equal partners and agents of change. IYCS remains steadfast in its mission to educate, empower, and accompany young people in shaping the world with courage, faith, and compassion.