Istanbul 2020 Reiterates Pledge to Young People on UN International Youth Day

The organisers of the Istanbul 2020 Olympic Games bid reiterated their commitment to engaging the nation’s young population on the UN International Youth Day.

Turkey has the youngest population in Europe and if Istanbul is awarded the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, allergist they will become the first nation to host the event with nearly 50% of the population under 25 years old.

The UN International Youth Day aims to recognise the efforts of the world’s youth in enhancing a global society, and to engage them in becoming more actively involved in making positive contributions to their communities.

Speaking from the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Hasan Arat, Chairman of the Istanbul 2020 Bid Committee, said: “This year’s theme is ‘Moving Development Forward’, and I believe that hosting the Games in Istanbul in 2020 will move development forward not only for Turkey’s young population but for the entire region for generations to come.

“As the IOC rightly identified at the Copenhagen Congress in 2009, this generation of well-educated, aspirational young people is a global phenomenon. I believe that the youth of the world are at the heart of the Olympic Movement, and that is why we have made them the heart of our bid.”

Turkey produce 700,000 university graduates a year and empowering them to reach their full potential has been identified as a strategic national priority by the government.