About the Author: Ronan Farrow serves as Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Global Youth Issues and Director of the State Department’s Office of Global Youth Issues.

This weekend marks the 24th annual Global Youth Service Day. In 100 countries, across six continents, young people between the ages of 5 and 25 will participate in their communities, leading grassroots projects in health, education, service, human rights, and the environment. In the past year, young people have played an unprecedented role in transforming their realities — unseating repressive regimes, championing democracy, and innovating in technology, science, and business.

The United States wants to see the story of youth empowerment told for years to come. That’s why, to tap the potential of this remarkable generation, we’ve built Embassy Youth Councils in nearly 40 countries. Each council convenes a cross-section of local young people on a regular basis to discuss shared challenges — developing new policies and initiatives that reflect their concerns and ideas.… more »