BYLI, 164 orgs kick off Panay-wide SDG celebration for IYD 2025

Roxas City, Capiz — In celebration of International Youth Day (IYD) 2025, the Borres Youth Leadership Institute, Inc. (BYLI), in partnership with the CHILD Initiative, spearheaded the IYD Panay Island Kick-Off Celebration on August 9, gathering 164 organizations from across the region.

Held under the theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” the event emphasized the role of youth in translating global goals into community-level action through activities such as networking sessions, a unity dance, Freedom Wall signing, Human Bingo, and the opening of the SDG Exhibit Tour, which featured Digital Poster-Making Contest entries and booths from partner development organizations.

Student groups from secondary schools and colleges participated, including organizations under Capiz State University such as the College of Education Local Subchapter (SSC-CoEd SubChapter), Kapisanan ng mga Edukador sa Filipino (KapEduFil), Society of English Majors (SEM), and CapSU Circle of P.E. Majors (CCPM); the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers–CapSU Chapter (PICE) from the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology; and the Junior Association of Marketing Students (JAMS) and Red Cross Youth–Capiz Chapter, along with other partner organizations from across the province.

The afternoon program included performances from local talents and a GenSDG Forum focused on health and social inclusion, providing a platform for youth to discuss sectoral challenges and propose community-based solutions.

The IYD 2025 celebration brought together youth leaders, advocates, and organizations from across Panay Island in a collective push for empowerment and youth-led action toward the Sustainable Development Goals, recognizing young people as active partners in development and strengthening institutional support for locally driven initiatives.

Words by: Mary Queen Tortogo