Youth Charter urges Olympic Movement to elevate youth inclusion and transparency for SDG impact
The Youth Charter, a leading social legacy organisation promoting sport for development and peace, has issued a direct and urgent call to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and global sport bodies to adopt more cohesive, accountable, and youth-led strategies in delivering sport initiatives aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Response to IOC 355 Summit: from ambition to implementation
Following the recent IOC 355 Sustainability Summit, the Youth Charter welcomed the scale of the Olympism365 programme—boasting over 550 projects in 175 countries—but cautioned that “potential alone is not progress.”
“Young people are not just spectators or beneficiaries. They are the change-makers,” said Geoff Thompson, Youth Charter Founder and Chair. “The Olympic Movement must now shift from vision to delivery—co-creating with youth, investing in communities, and reporting with integrity.”
While praising efforts, the Youth Charter flagged critical areas of concern that threaten progress without urgent reform:
-
Only 10% of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have public sustainability strategies, revealing a significant gap between the IOC’s vision and ground-level delivery.
-
The IOC has not published a sustainability report since 2019, undermining transparency and trust.
-
Progress on safeguarding and mental health remains uneven, particularly in underfunded regions of the Global South.
-
The withdrawal of Brisbane 2032’s climate-positive goal raised alarms over the IOC’s ability to enforce non-binding sustainability promises.
-
Most notably, the absence of youth in strategic decision-making was a glaring omission from the Summit’s agenda.
Youth Charter’s Five-Point Global Call 2 Action
In response, the Youth Charter outlined a Five-Point Plan to align the Olympic Movement more closely with the SDGs and ensure genuine intergenerational collaboration:
-
Unified SDG Framework: Embed the UN SDGs with measurable, transparent targets across all Olympic entities.
-
Annual Impact Reporting: Establish independent, public sustainability reporting across all levels of the Olympic structure.
-
Youth and Community Engagement Taskforce: Create a permanent cross-sector group to ensure youth participation in strategy and delivery.
-
Local Ecosystem Collaboration: Build partnerships between NOCs and local education, health, and civic groups for inclusive delivery.
-
Investment in Social Legacy Infrastructure: Prioritize funding for youth employment, safeguarding, and grassroots sport facilities.
Reaffirming the spirit of Olympism
As the global sports community eyes Paris 2024 and the final stretch of Olympic Agenda 2020+5, the Youth Charter’s message is clear: reclaim the foundational values of Olympism as a movement for peace, equity, and sustainable human development.
“We call on the IOC, National Olympic Committees, and all stakeholders to engage youth not just as a target group—but as equal partners shaping sport’s legacy,” said Thompson.
