BRICS Youth Council
The BRICS Youth Summit has been gathering government authorities and wider groups of youth delegates, including civil society, since 2015.
The BRICS represents a significant share of the world’s population, with a large portion being young and of working age. Recognizing the importance of youth engagement early on, the bloc’s key milestone in this area was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation on Youth Matters between the Secretariat-General of the Presidency of Brasil, the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs of Russia, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India, the All-China Youth Federation of the People's Republic of China, and the National Youth Development Agency of South Africa on July 6, 2015.
The Memorandum establishes that its follow-up and Youth Cooperation among these BRICS countries will be coordinated through two instances:
a) the BRICS Meeting of Ministers and Youth Authorities
b) the BRICS Technical Youth Meeting
In this sense, meetings have been held since 2015 at events that are commonly referred to as BRICS Youth Summit.
In 2023, under South Africa's Presidency, a third forum was established: c) the BRICS Youth Council. This council consists of one representative from the government agency responsible for youth issues and one civil society representative from each country.
In addition to the official youth agencies, other organizations led by private enterprises, NGOs, or state agencies were gradually established, including the ‘InterYES! International Youth Forum on Public Diplomacy, the BRICS Youth Energy Summit, the BRICS Youth Camp, the ‘BRICS to You’ International Youth Volunteer Conference, and the International BRICS Youth Business Incubator.
The BRICS has been discussing development models that include the youth and understand them as a strategic part of technological, scientific, productive, and political advancements of the Global South countries. In the same direction, the group has been reflecting on the impact of new technologies and Artificial Intelligence in the world of labor and in the lives of the youth.
Moreover, since the quality of life of the young population impacts both the present and the future of society, pathways to the well-being of the young generation can be explored —particularly in Global South countries— considering mental health, the relationship with the environment, and access to education, income, and public policies.
In this regard, the BRICS is seen as having the potential to advance youth policy financing and national programs that impact young people, engaging development banks, funding mechanisms, dedicated funds, and the exchange of best practices and institutional frameworks for youth policies. Moreover, BRICS can foster cooperation initiatives, technology transfer, and academic exchanges driven by young people, youth organizations, and youth-led enterprises.
Furthermore, the BRICS can propose initiatives aimed at training youth to take on leadership roles, empowering them to surpass previous generations in addressing the internal inequalities within the bloc's countries, as well as those between nations, while combating exploitative systems and colonial legacies. As a result, the group can contribute to a new global governance that recognizes youth as rights-holders and a vital voice in the international system.
During the Brazilian Presidency, the BRICS youth agenda will prioritize the following thematic areas:
1. Education and International Cooperation (with focus on higher education institutions);
2. Youth Entrepreneurship;
3. Science, Technology, Innovation, Artificial Intelligence, and new technologies;
4. Social Participation, Social Work, and Volunteering;
5. Development and Hunger and Inequality Eradication;
6. Health and Sports.
7. Youths, Environment, and Sustainability