TOC – Association for Development Sustainable Communities, as part of the economic pillar of the “SDGs for All” Platform, presented sustainable development goals (SDGs) from the perspective of working with youth, within the framework of the second National Urban Forum, held in Niš on April 11, 2024.

During the panel “Youth on Sustainable Development Goals,” TOC had the opportunity to introduce the 2030 Agenda to young participants of the forum, as well as the efforts of the SDGs for All” Platform to align development priorities in Serbia with the goals of sustainable development, through dialogue with decision-makers at the local and national levels, the business sector, and civil society. Participants of the forum had the chance during this panel to hear how young people perceive the 2030 Agenda, as well as interesting findings from the research conducted by TOC among youth, precisely on the understanding and knowledge of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.

Other activities that TOC, as part of the SDGs for ALL Platform, had carried out in working with youth in the previous period were also presented to the forum participants, aiming to bring the 2030 Agenda closer to this target group. In this regard, animated films on SDGs were presented, as well as a Handbook for integrating the 2030 Agenda 2030 into local and national youth policies and youth work. Discussions were also held with young people about workshops conducted by TOC with youth from Zaječar, Bor, Knjaževac, Pirot, Sombor, Sremski Karlovci, and Apatin on the economic goals of sustainable development and the role of youth in achieving them by 2030. The forum participants were also introduced to webinars conducted by TOC, aimed at addressing specific topics within the 5 economic goals of sustainable development through concrete examples and in collaboration with experts on the given topics.

The Urban Forum was also a good opportunity for TOC to further promote its TOC HUB, which aims to work on the development of sustainable communities, encourage local people, with a special focus on youth, to engage in the development of policies relevant to youth and in addressing the challenges young people face in the local community, all through the lens of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.

The conclusion from the panel “Youth on Sustainable Development Goals” of the National Urban Forum is that goal number 4 – quality education is still a priority for youth in Serbia. Additionally, participants emphasized that all SDGs are equally important for the progress of society. Speaking specifically about subgoal 4.7, it was emphasized that discussions on sustainable development must involve all age groups, especially during primary and secondary education.

The National Urban Forum was organized by the Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism, the Ministry of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure, the City of Niš, and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM), in partnership with the Office of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Serbia, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme – UN Habitat, and the World Bank, with the support of the Scientific-Technological Park in Niš and the Swiss Organization for Economic Cooperation.