Govt postpones August 12 Youth Day celebrations
“A new date will be announced soon, pending confirmation of the President’s availability.”
The state minister of youth and children affairs, Balaam Barugahara, addressing a press conference at Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on August 6, 2025. (Photos by Francis Emorut)
By Rhyman Agaba
Journalists @New Vision
________________
International Youth Day is celebrated every August 12, across the world.
However, youth and children affairs state minister Balaam Barugahara says Uganda will wait a little longer to commemorate the day.
“A new date will be announced soon, pending confirmation of the President’s availability.”
He made this announcement while addressing journalists at the Media Centre in Kampala on Monday, August 11, 2025.
According to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD), the celebrations will be held in Masindi.
“This will be the final youth day in this Presidential term, and it will be held in Masindi,” Barugahara told New Vision Online.
He also noted that Uganda will delay the annual celebration by a week or two.
The state minister of youth and children affairs Balaam Barugahara (left) interacts with the Gender ministry official Meddie Kibirango during a press conference at Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on August 6, 2025. 
The global observance of International Youth Day 2025 will take place on 12 August in Nairobi, Kenya, in collaboration with the UN-Habitat. The event is expected to bring together youth leaders, municipal officials, policymakers, UN representatives and development practitioners to exchange ideas and showcase solutions for strengthening youth engagement in local development.
The purpose of the day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth. The first IYD was observed on 12 August 2000.
The theme of International Youth Day (IYD) 2025, Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond, highlights the unique role of youth in translating global ambitions into community-driven realities.
As development partners work to translate and implement the global goals within specific local contexts, aligning them with community needs while maintaining consistency with national and international commitments, young people are critical partners.
They bring creativity, insight, and deep community ties that help bridge the gap between policy and practice. With over 65 per cent of SDG targets linked to local governance, youth engagement is not a luxury, it is a necessity.