Locations
National Dialogue China 2024
Youth Innovators Driving China To a Greener Future
Youth are crucial in addressing environmental protection, gender equality, and responsible consumption and production, yet many of these youth-led social enterprises are not receiving the support they need to thrive.
Did you know?
[1] Unlocking the Potential of Youth-Led Social Enterprises: https://shorturl.at/GBI3F [2] SMEs Finance https://shorturl.at/U7sRf
Youth Co:Lab, co-created by UNDP and the Citi Foundation in 2017, aims to tackle this challenge by empowering and investing in youth so that they can accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. As the largest youth movement for empowerment, social entrepreneurship, equality, and social inclusion in the Asia-Pacific region, Youth Co:Lab has supported young people in 28 countries and territories, reaching over 300,000 participants.
National Dialogues are flagship country-level events of Youth Co:Lab, co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation. They bring together youth leaders and stakeholders to build capacities, foster innovation, and co-create solutions to national development challenges, while strengthening coalitions and shaping an enabling ecosystem.
In China, the National Dialogue has been co-hosted by UNDP, the China Song Ching Ling Science & Culture Centre for Young People (SCLSCC), and Citi China since 2018. Over the past six years, the National Dialogue China has supported more than 300 Chinese youth-led start-ups, offering professional mentorship from experts across impact funds, incubators, and academia, while enhancing their access to funding opportunities from industry partners.
Each year, the event explores various themes aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covering topics like Accessibility, Rural Revitalization, Digital Disruption post-COVID-19, Climate Action, and Green Development.
In 2024, the focus was on Green Entrepreneurship, providing a unique opportunity for 60 young entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions addressing climate-related challenges within their communities while promoting inclusion and a circular economy.
Over the course of three days, participants took part in training workshops and a start-up fair, received one-on-one mentorship with experts, and showcased their ideas to investors, who provided guidance on business strategies, fundraising, and scaling social ventures.
These young leaders presented an impressive array of ideas ranging from pioneering green education programs and tackling zero construction waste, to monitoring sewage outfalls, protecting aquatic ecosystems, and reducing carbon emissions.
