Glasgow 2026: Youth Charter urges investment in young people across Commonwealth
The Youth Charter has called for a transformative Commonwealth youth legacy programme to be launched in the lead-up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, urging Commonwealth leaders to seize the opportunity to invest in young people across the Commonwealth.
The Youth Charter has called for a transformative Commonwealth youth legacy programme to be launched in the lead-up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, urging Commonwealth leaders to seize the opportunity to invest in young people across the Commonwealth.
The call comes as youth delegates from across the Commonwealth gathered at the University of Oxford for the Commonwealth Youth Summit, where discussions are focusing on youth leadership, opportunity and development across the 56 member nations.
Representing more than 2.5 billion people, with young people accounting for over 60 percent of the population, the Commonwealth is one of the largest youth communities in the world.
The Youth Charter believes the upcoming Glasgow Games present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a lasting social, cultural and economic legacy for young people across the Commonwealth.
“The Commonwealth represents one of the greatest youth opportunities in the world. Glasgow 2026 must become more than a sporting event, it must become a catalyst for lasting social change,” Geoff Thompson, founder and chair of the Youth Charter, said.
According to Thompson, the Youth Charter’s proposal is grounded in the internationally recognised principles of Sport for Development and Peace, which leverage sport and cultural activity as tools to address social challenges.
According to the Youth Charter, the Community Campus model provides a practical framework capable of delivering long-term impact locally, nationally and internationally.
He stated that through the Community Campus model, a Commonwealth-wide movement that empowers young people through sport, culture and education, providing pathways to leadership, employment and community development can be created.
“The real legacy of the Commonwealth Games should not be measured in stadiums or medals, but in the lives of young people whose futures we help to transform.”
