Main actors

The governance of the participation of young people in global issues involves different institutional and Third Sector actors:

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – responsible for international cooperation issues, it also promotes numerous programs aimed at involving young people in development cooperation activities (Cf. 9.6);

• The Ministry of Environment and Energy Security – it is responsible for the National Sustainable Development Strategy (SNSvS); 

• The Ministry of Education and Merit – it promotes knowledge of sustainability and environmental issues through the Sustainability Education Plan and through the provision of ad hoc training courses in schools;

• The Italian Agency for Youth – it manages Erasmus+ youth, within which it organises youth exchanges as well as European and international projects;

• The Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service (DPGSCU) – a unit of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (Cf. 1), it is responsible for managing the national youth volunteering program (18-28 years) which includes the Framework Program of the Environmental Civic Service, the experimentation of the Agricultural Civic Service and the possibility of participating in development cooperation projects and the promotion of human rights (Cf. 2.4);

• The National Youth Council – it promotes the participation of young people at all levels and takes part in European and international associative forums (Cf. 5.3);

• The Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS) – it is a network of over 300 entities committed to implementing the UN 2030 Agenda in Italy. Within it, the Youth Organizations working group aims to start a process of systematic assessment of the intergenerational impact of legislation and to disseminate and promote UN 2030 Agenda-related skills in training;

• YAS, the Young Ambassador Society – established in 2011, it has helped create the Youth 7 and Youth 20international forums, promoting the inclusion of young people in global decision-making arenas;

• Legambiente – it is an environmental volunteer association founded in 1980, active in the involvement of young people in environmental issues.

General distribution of responsibilities

Responsibility for promoting youth participation in global issues is mainly attributed to the central level, even though Regions, Autonomous Provinces and local authorities can support it.

For example, the Global Citizenship Education Strategy mainly involves Ministries and National Agencies [1]; nonetheless, Regions and Autonomous Provinces are key actors in the Strategy and are delegated the task of coordinating the local actors involved.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

Youth participation in global processes is a multidisciplinary issue; therefore, collaboration between different actors is implemented through agreements and memoranda of understanding.

For example, the Ministry of Education and Merit has signed numerous memoranda of understanding with other ministries, national and international institutions and organizations, bodies and sector associations on environmental education, sustainability, cultural heritage and global citizenship. An example is the Memorandum of Understanding  signed in 2018 with the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security for the implementation of environmental education activities and initiatives.

Since 2021, the Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers has been collaborating with the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security for the creation of the Environmental Civic Service. Furthermore, in December 2023 the Minister for Sport and Youth signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests to start the experimentation of the Agricultural Civic Service, inspired by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

On 29^th May 2024, another Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and the National Youth Council aimed at educating young people on issues concerning sustainable economic, social and environmental development. Young people will be involved in joint initiatives with the goal of promoting financial education.