From 25 to 27 September 2023, approximately 100 young people from 42 nationalities gathered at the FAO headquarters in Rome (Italy) for the Global Youth Dialogue on Sustainable Livestock Transformation.
The Youth Dialogue was held in parallel to the FAO Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation (GC-SLT) and was organised by FAO in collaboration with UNIMED.
It was co-created by youth, for youth with the aim to connect and empower young people around the globe to discuss key priorities and challenges and identify innovative and actionable solutions for sustainable livestock transformation.
The Dialogue brought together young people (21-35 years old) from across the world with a professional and/or academic background in livestock, including Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD students from relevant universities (e.g., animal science, veterinary, agriculture), farmers or producers and scientists. Participants spent three days discussing about livestock topics related to the four main themes of the GC-SLT and developed a Youth Statement that was presented to the participants of the GC-SLT on the last day.

Prior to the Youth Dialogue, participants attended a virtual training held by researchers of the University of Evora, Portugal, on the livestock topics to be discussed at the event. In this way, participants were provided with the necessary background document and information for better preparation and engagement.
The Youth Dialogue provided youth across the globe with a platform to express and exchange their ideas on sustainable livestock transformation. Moreover, it provided an opportunity for young people to engage with representatives of FAO Members, producer organizations, research and academia, development agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector. It made young people part of the conversation.

Many thanks to FAO for making this possible, to the University of Evora for its valuable scientific contribution and to all participants for their enthusiasm and commitment to a sustainable world!
Related links
FAO Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation (GC-SLT)