World Assembly of Youth

International organization

For the film, see World Assembly of Youth (film).

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World Assembly of Youth
Assemblée Mondiale de la Jeunesse
Asamblea Mundial de la Juventud

Abbreviation| WAY
Founded| 24 August 1949
Type| INGO
Purpose| Youth
Headquarters| World Youth Complex, Lebuh Ayer Keroh, Ayer Keroh, 75450 Melaka, Malaysia

Region served

| Worldwide

Official language

* English
* French
* Spanish

Secretary General

|  Ediola Pashollari

President

|  Idris Haron

Main organ

| General Assembly
Affiliations| UNAIDS UNEP ILO UNESCO UNFPA UNICEF WHO UNDP ECOSOC DPI UNCTAD
Staff| 12
Volunteers| 1300
Website| way.org.my

The World Assembly of Youth (WAY; French: Assemblée Mondiale de la Jeunesse; Spanish: Asamblea Mundial de la Juventud) is the international coordinating body of national youth councils and national youth organisations. The full members of WAY are national youth councils. WAY currently has 140 member organisations from all continents. As the international coordinating body of national youth councils, WAY has special consultative status with the United Nations, the highest status possible for a non-governmental organization. WAY co-operates with the UN and many of its special agencies, particularly with UNAIDS, UNEP, ILO, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNCTAD and WHO.

The World Assembly of Youth recognises the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the basis of its action and services. WAY promotes the work of youth organisations in areas such as: democracy, environment, human rights, population, health, drugs, community development, leadership training, and cultural and religious tolerance. It provides opportunities for youth representatives from different countries to exchange ideas and experiences, to coordinate programme plans, and to reach a better understanding of each other's problems due to differences in racial, religious, and national backgrounds.

The regional structure of the National Youth Councils in all the continents, Asian Youth Council, European Youth Forum, Caribbean Youth Forum, Forum for the Integration of Asean Youth, Pacific Youth Council, Arab Youth Union, Pan-African Youth Union, African-Arab Youth Council, SADC Youth Movement, are consultative members.

The WAY Headquarters is located in the World Youth Complex in Melaka, Malaysia, having been previously established in London, Paris, Brussels, Copenhagen, and Kuala Lumpur. The organization is financed from annual membership fees and voluntary contributions from its member organisations, and it has three official languages: English, French, and Spanish.

## History

[edit]

In 1949, an initiative was undertaken to establish a youth organisation to promote global cooperation and understanding amongst the young people of the world. Recognising the need for a universal youth organisation, youth leaders from national youth councils of all member countries of the United Nations were invited to attend an international conference in London. In August 1949, the international conference held at Westminster Hall in London established the World Assembly of Youth.

The draft charter, which had been prepared in February 1949 in Ashbridge, England, was ratified at the first official meeting of WAY in Brussels a year later. The meeting, organised by the Belgian Youth Council, was attended by more than 100 young people from 37 countries. The WAY Charter was ratified by 29 of the national youth councils present, and WAY began its work on behalf of the world youth community.

The WAY headquarters has moved throughout the years to various bases including Brussels, Paris, London and Copenhagen. In 1999, the WAY headquarters moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and now has finally established its headquarters building, the World Youth Complex, in Melaka, a southern state of Malaysia.

## Past leadership

[edit]

### Presidents

[edit]

Term  | President  | Nationality

|
|

1949 - 1952  | Mr Maurice Sauvé  |  Canada
1952 - 1954  | Mr Guthrie Moir |  Great Britain
1954–1956  | Mr Guthrie Moir |  Great Britain
1956–1958  | Mr Antoine Lawrence  |  Guinea
1958–1962  | Mr Ravindra Varma  |  India
1962–1964  | Mr Carlos Delgado  |  Peru
1964–1966  | Mr Romeo Maione  |  Canada
1966–1969  | Mr Alessandro Berti  |  Italy
1969–1972  | Mr Peter Schieder |  Austria
1972–1975  | Mr Thomas Sandiford  |  Guyana
1975–1982  | Mr Ole Lovig Simonsen  |  Denmark
1982–1988  | Mr Ole Lovig Simonsen  |  Denmark
1988–1993  | Mr Ole Lovig Simonsen  |  Denmark
1993–2000  | Mr Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam |  Malaysia
2000–2005  | Mr Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam |  Malaysia
2005– 2010  | Mr Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam |  Malaysia
2010–Present  | Mr Datuk Seri Ir. Idris Haron |  Malaysia

### Secretaries general

[edit]

Term  | Secretary general  | Nationality

|
|

1949 - 1952  | Mr Paul Mercereau  |  France
1952 - 1954  | Mr Paul Mercereau  |  France
1954 - 1956  | Ms Helen M. Dale de Mestral  |  United Kingdom
1956 - 1958  | Ms Helen M. Dale de Mestral  |  United Kingdom
1958 - 1962  | Mr David Wirmark  |  Sweden
1962 - 1964  | Mr David Wirmark  |  Sweden
1964 - 1966  | Mr Carl-Axel Valén  |  Sweden
1966 - 1969  | Mr Jyoti Shankar Singh  |  India
1969 - 1972  | Mr Jyoti Shankar Singh  |  India
1972 - 1975  | Mr Carlos Antonio Carrasco  |  Bolivia
1975 - 1982  | Mr John Danquah  |  Ghana
1982 - 1988  | Mr Shiv Khare  |  India
1988 - 1993  | Mr Shiv Khare  |  India
1993 - 2000  | Mr Heikki Pakarinen  |  Finland
2000 - 2004  | Mr Donald Tinotenda Charumbira  |  Zimbabwe
2004 - 2007  | Mr Donald Tinotenda Charumbira  |  Zimbabwe
2007 - 2010  | Ms Ediola Pashollari  |  Albania
2010–Present  | Ms Ediola Pashollari  |  Albania

## Activities

[edit]

The World Assembly of Youth has two main tasks:

To represent its members towards international organisations and institutions and promote the work of voluntary youth organisations all over the world. WAY deals with all issues affecting youth in international, regional, and local level.

WAY organises events on global, regional, and national levels. These events are often carried out in cooperation with other international youth organisations, regional youth structures or national affiliates. WAY's representatives participate in various UN working groups and other meetings promoting youth issues and the interests of member organisations.

## Aims

[edit]

* Increase inter-ethnic respect and to foster inter-cultural and international understanding and cooperation.
* Facilitate the collection of information about the needs and problems of youth.
* Disseminate information about the methods, techniques and activities of youth organisations.
* Promote the interchange of ideas between youth of all countries.
* Assist in the development of youth activities and to promote, by mutual aid, the extension of the work of voluntary youth organizations.
* Cooperate in the development of national youth councils of voluntary youth organizations.
* Establish and maintain relations with the international organisations, both voluntary and governmental.
* Support and encourage the national movements of non-self governing countries in their struggle for national liberation.
* Promote tolerance, understanding, solidarity and cooperation among young men and women irrespective of race, sex, language, religion or political orientation.
* Encourage the full participation of young men and women in the development process of their countries.
* Improve the equality between young men and women.
* Promote the democratic participation of young people both in their own organisations and in the life of society as a whole.
* Act as a representative body of national youth councils to the UN and other appropriate governmental and non-governmental international bodies.

## Main organs

[edit]

### General Assembly

[edit]

The paramount body of WAY is the General Assembly, which determines the policies and programmes of the organisation. The General Assembly is convened every four years, and votes on the admission of new members and the adoption of policies. The General Assembly also elects the officers who are charged with the responsibility of implementing WAY's programmes. The officers include the Bureau and the Executive Committee.[1]

### Bureau

[edit]

The Bureau consists of WAY's president and five Vice Presidents, who are elected at the General Assembly. The Bureau meets between meetings of the executive committee to review and supervise the work of the Secretariat.[1]

#### Current members

[edit]

Name  | Position  | Nationality

|
|

Datuk Seri Utama Ir. Idris Haron  | President  |  Malaysia
Munkhbat Ayush  | Vice President  |  Mongolia
Hussein Abdullah M. Al-Ahmed  | Vice President  |  Yemen
Preye Jerome Ketebu-Brown  | Vice President  |  Nigeria
Benedice Louis Sibanda  | Vice President  |  Botswana
Mohamed M M Suliman  | Vice President  |  Libya

### Executive committee

[edit]

The Executive Committee has 13 members. The present members are of 13 different nationalities from North and South, East and West. The executive committee is charged with the general administration of WAY and the implementation of programmes drawn up by the General Assembly. The executive committee meets at least once a year.

#### Current members

[edit]

Name  | Position  | Nationality

|
|

| EXCO Member  |  Korea
Blagica Petrova  | EXCO Member  |  North Macedonia
Muesse Kazapua  | EXCO Member  |  Namibia
Simone Phillip  | EXCO Member  |  Trinidad and Tobago
Belmani Abdel Jalal  | EXCO Member  |  Morocco
Leyla R. Israfilova  | EXCO Member  |  Azerbaijan
Mustafa M. Radja  | EXCO Member  |  Indonesia

### Secretariat

[edit]

The Secretariat headed by the Secretary General Ms. Ediola Pashollari and support staff, carry out the daily work of the organisation in accordance with the guidelines established by the General Assembly and its elected bodies. The Secretariat of WAY is located in Melaka, Malaysia .[1]

## Members

[edit]

The World Assembly of Youth currently has 140 member organisations. There are four membership status granted by the executive committee at each General Assembly. These status are: Full, Associate, Observer, and Consultative. In accordance with Article IV and V of the WAY Charter, membership of WAY is granted as follows:

Full members of WAY are national youth councils which are representing a cross section of democratic, voluntary youth organisations in a country or territory, and which have ratified the Charter and are admitted by the Assembly by a vote of the majority of its members.

The Assembly has the power to admit national youth councils or national youth organisations, which are interested in regular co-operation with WAY, as associated members, provided that a member national youth councils of WAY does not already exist in the country in question.

Regional youth organisations with national youth councils as members may be provided consultative status. They shall be permanent invitees to the meetings of the Bureau and the executive committee without the right to vote.

The executive committee may admit international organisations, national youth councils and national youth organisations as observers, provided that a member national youth council does not exist in the country in question.

### Africa

[edit]

Country  | Organization  | Status

|
|

Algeria | National Youth Organisation (Algeria)  | Observer
Angola | National Youth Council of Angola  | Full
Benin | Benin Association for Youth Development  | Observer
Botswana | Botswana National Youth Council  | Full
Burkina Faso | Youth Solidarity Association  | Observer
Cameroon | Cameroon National Youth Council  | Full
Comoros | National Union of Youth of Comoros  | Full
Congo | Forum for Youth Development  | Observer
Congo DR | Congolese Association for Youth Development  | Observer
Ethiopia | Ethiopia Youth League  | Observer
Gambia | National Youth Council of Gambia  | Full
Ghana | National Youth Council of Ghana  | Full
Guinea Bissau | National Youth Council of Guinea Bissau  | Full
Ivory Coast | Federation of Movements and Associations of Youth and Children of Ivory Coast  | Full
Kenya | Kenya Association of Youth Organisations  | Full
Lesotho | Lesotho Youth Federation  | Full
Libya | National Organisation of Libyan Youth  | Full
Madagascar | Madagascar Ecumenical Network of Youth and Students  | Observer
Mali | Malian Movement for Youth Promotion  | Full
Mauritius | National Youth Council of Mauritius  | Full
Morocco | Youth Workers of Morocco  | Observer
Mozambique | Organization of Mozambican Youth  | Associate
Namibia | National Youth Council of Namibia  | Full
Nigeria | National Youth Council of Nigeria  | Full
Rwanda | Rwanda National Youth Council  | Full
Senegal | National Youth Council of Senegal  | Full
Seychelles | Seychelles People's Progressive Front Youth League  | Observer
Sierra Leone | Sierra Leone Federation of Youth Organisations  | Full
Somalia | Somalia Youth Council  | Full
South Africa | South Africa Youth Council  | Full
Sudan | General Sudanese Students Union  | Observer
Swaziland | Swaziland National Youth Council  | Full
Tanzania | Youth Council of Tanzania  | Associate
Tunisia | National Union of Youth Organisations  | Associate
Uganda | Uganda National Youth Council  | Full
Western Sahara | Sahrawi Youth Union  | Observer
Zambia | National Youth Development Council of Zambia  | Full
Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe Youth Council  | Full

### Asia

[edit]

Country  | Organization  | Status

|
|

Bangladesh | National Youth and Social Welfare Council  | Full
Bhutan | Bhutan Youth Development Association  | Associate
Brunei | Brunei Youth Council  | Full
Cambodia | Cambodian Youth Development Center  | Associate
China | All China Youth Federation  | Observer
East Timor | East Timor National Youth Organisations  | Full
India | Indian Committee of Youth Organisations  | Full
Indonesia | National Youth Committee of Indonesia  | Full
Iraq | General Federation of Iraqi Youth  | Full
Jordan | National Union of Jordanian Youth  | Full
Korea | National Council of Youth Organisations in Korea  | Full
Kuwait | Public Authority for Youths and Sports  | Observer
Malaysia | Malaysian Youth Council  | Full
Mongolia | Mongolian Youth Federation  | Full
Nepal | Social Youth Council of Nepal  | Full
Pakistan | All Pakistan Youth Federation  | Full
Philippines | National Youth Commission  | Observer
Singapore | Peoples Association Youth Movement  | Observer
Sri Lanka | National Youth Services Council of Sri Lanka  | Full
Syria | Syrian Youth Union  | Observer
Thailand | Thailand National Council of Youth and Child Development  | Full
Vietnam | Vietnam Youth Federation  | Observer
Yemen | Yemen Youth General Union  | Full
UAE | Emirates National Students Union  | Observer

### Caribbean

[edit]

Country  | Organization  | Status

|
|

Anguilla | Anguilla National Youth Council  | Full
Bahamas | Bahamas National Youth Council  | Full
Barbados | Barbados Youth Development Council  | Full
Belize | Belize National Youth Council  | Full
Dominica | National Youth Council of Dominica  | Full
Guyana | Georgetown Youth Leaders Council  | Full
Jamaica | National Youth Council of Jamaica  | Full
Montserrat | Montserrat National Youth Council  | Full
Puerto Rico | Youth Organisation Council of Puerto Rico  | Full
Sao Tome and Principe | National Alliance of YMCAs  | Observer
Saint Kitts | St. Kitts National Youth Council  | Full
Suriname | Suriname National Youth Assembly  | Full
Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago Youth Council  | Full

### Europe

[edit]

Country  | Organization  | Status

|
|

Albania | Albanian Youth Federation  | Observer
Armenia | National Youth Council of Armenia  | Full
Czech Republic | National Youth Council of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia  | Full
Croatia | Croatia National Youth Council  | Full
Germany | German National Committee for International Youth Work  | Full
Greece | National Council of Hellenic Youth Organisations  | Full
Latvia | National Youth Council of Latvia  | Full
Luxembourg | National Youth Council Luxembourg  | Full
North Macedonia | Youth Council of Macedonia  | Full
Norway | Norwegian Children and Youth Council  | Full
Poland | Polish Youth Council  | Associate
Portugal | Youth Institute of Portugal  | Observer
Russia | National Youth Council of Russia  | Observer
Turkey | Youth Activities Services  | Observer
United Kingdom | British Youth Council  | Full

### Latin America

[edit]

Country  | Organization  | Status

|
|

Argentina | National Youth Council of Argentina  | Full
Bolivia | National Council of Bolivian Youth  | Full
Brazil | AMP  | Observer
Chile | National Youth Council of Chile  | Full
Colombia | National youth Committee of Colombia  | Full
Cuba | Union of the Young Communist League  | Observer
El Salvador | National Youth Council of El Salvador  | Full
Ecuador | International Youth House of Ecuador  | Full
Guatemala | Guatemala Youth Development Committee  | Associate
Mexico | Mexican Institute of Youth  | Observer
Nicaragua | National Youth Council of Nicaragua  | Full
Paraguay | Paraguay Youth and Students Hostel Association  | Observer
Peru | National Council of Peruvian Youth  | Full

### Pacific

[edit]

Country  | Organization  | Status

|
|

Australia | Australian Youth Policy and Action Coalition  | Full
Cook Islands | Cook Islands National Youth Council  | Full
Fiji | Fiji National Youth Council  | Full
Niue | Niue National Youth Council  | Full
Papua New Guinea | National Youth Service  | Full
Solomon Islands | Solomon Islands National Youth Congress  | Full
Tonga | Tonga National Youth Congress  | Full
Vanuatu | Vanuatu National Youth Council  | Full
Western Samoa | Western Samoa National Youth Council  | Full

### North America

[edit]

Country  | Organization  | Status

|
|

Canada | Canada World Youth  | Full
USA | Youth Network Council  | Full

### Consultative

[edit]

Country  | Organization  | Status

|
|

Sudan | African-Arab Youth Council  | Consultative
Malaysia | Asian Youth Council  | Consultative
Syria | Arab Youth Union  | Consultative
Brazil | Caribbean Youth Forum  | Consultative
Belgium | European Youth Forum  | Consultative
Brazil | Forum for the Integration of Andean Youth  | Consultative
Fiji | Pacific Youth Council  | Consultative
Algeria | Pan-African Youth Union  | Consultative
South Africa | Southern African Community Development Youth Movement  | Consultative

## Volunteer programme

[edit]

The World Assembly of Youth has established a volunteers programme that seeks to develop a dedicated corps of young people who will be willing to assist in WAY programmes and activities around the world.

## World Youth Institute

[edit]

WAY established the World Youth Institute (WYI), with main function as a vehicle for education and training of young people around the world. The World Youth Institute is geared to be a leading institution for empowerment and capacity building through education, training, and development programmes.

## See also

[edit]

* World Federation of Democratic Youth
* International Union of Students

## References

[edit]

[2]

1. ^ a b c "Welcome to World Assembly of Youth". way.org.my. Archived from the original on 2007-05-19.
2. ^ WAY Charter, 2005

## External links

[edit]

* Official site

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* SNAC