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Global South representation: A majority of delegates hailed from climate-vulnerable regions, reshaping caucus priorities and ensuring adaptation finance stayed on the main stage—not in the margins.
COY 18: Dubai, UAE
The 18th Global Conference of Children and Youth (COY18), held from November 26–28, 2023, at Expo City Dubai, UAE. For the first time since 2015, COY was hosted on the same grounds as the annual COP venue. In this monumental step in the narrative of COY, the youth opened the doors to COP28 through COY18. The venue that COY18 was generously offered is called the Connect Conference Centre (CCC)—it was the first time the space was used following its renovation after Expo 2020 (previously the Opportunity Pavilion).
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
26–28 November 2023
Snapshot
COY 18 at a Glance
750,000+
Youth voices consolidated
800+
Youth participation
49
Volunteers
205
Fully subsidized beds
4,000
Free meals distributed
COY18 Youth Consultation
Prior to designing COY's 18th iteration, several consultations were held by YOUNGO and the co-hosts to get an understanding of the needs and expectations of the youth for the conference to be as beneficial, inclusive, and accessible as possible.
The following in-person consultations took place in SB58 with youth at Bonn:
Consultation with the YOUNGO constituency
Consultation with indigenous youth and the Global Youth Coalition
Consultation with Arab youth and the Ministry of Youth in Egypt
How is COY18's Success Measured?
Synthesizing local, regional, and global COYs
Ensuring that local and regional iterations of COY build on each other through a synchronized journey. This will help to highlight local youth voices and present a rich and inclusive youth statement.
Upskilling youth for meaningful participation
Embedding necessary knowledge and skills on to our youth to ensure their effective participation in the climate conversation. It is essential to provide them with the right tools that puts them in a leveled field with other stakeholders.
Incorporating marginalised narratives
Championing a fresh perspective into the climate conversation that incorporates and highlight marginalized narratives and communities. Emphasizing the fact that climate change does not have a one-size-fits-all solution.
Seamless guest journey
Minimizing the obstacles that youth face in their journey to COY and prioritizing their safety and comfort. Ensuring that they receive just as much support as COP attendees.
COY18's programming
- Mitigation
- Adaptation and resilience
- Loss and damage
- Climate Action plans, Global Stocktake, and NDCs
- Energy
- Water, food, and agriculture
- Climate Finance and markets
- ACE
- Climate equity and Just transition
- Health
- Nature and biodiversity
- Technology and innovation
Key Highlights
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Policy manifesto: COY 18 distilled youth demands into a concise policy line set for negotiators—covering just transition, loss and damage, and meaningful participation in implementation.
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The “Youth in Action” pillar: Action Labs connected delegates with practitioners: from community resilience planning to green skills and climate finance literacy—built for outcomes, not slides.
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Programming: 240 workshops focused on actionable climate skills.
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Delegate feedback: 92% session satisfaction rate among youth attendees.
Global Youth Statement
COY 18 distilled youth demands into a concise policy line set for negotiators—covering just transition, loss and damage, and meaningful participation in implementation.
Download Global Youth StatementImplementing Organizations
The Arab Youth Center
The Arab Youth Center (AYC) was established to realize the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, to empower young Arabs and address their needs.
The Center offers a unique platform to develop youth capabilities and support innovation and creativity among youth. AYC implements purposeful initiatives across diverse sectors, in addition, it conducts research on young Arabs to help decision-makers shape policies that enable their progress.
American University of Sharjah
American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan articulated his vision of a distinctive institution against the backdrop of Islamic history and in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region.
Greenhouse by NYUAD
Green House is a prominent youth climate think tank and student-led sustainability organization. Dedicated to climate advocacy, the group facilitates educational workshops, hosts panel discussions, and empowers students to engage in global UN climate processes.
Endorsements
Official endorsement letters supporting COY18 ahead of COP28, from the UN Youth Envoy and the COP28 Presidency.
COY18 endorsement letter from the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth
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