In February, two years ago, we launched the NextGenYouth platform. 

There was no stage, no gathering, no celebratory event. We launched online, quietly, because conflicts did not allow us to do otherwise. Like so many initiatives in our region, our beginning was shaped by context. And in the Arab region, context is never neutral, it is complex, fragile, and often unpredictable. 

But perhaps it was fitting. 

Because the NextGenYouth platform, much like the young people it serves, was born in uncertainty and chose to grow anyway. 

From the very beginning we wanted to create a virtual space that would bridge the distance between youth across the Arab States. The platform was a youth-driven idea, initially developed by youth, for youth, and about youth. We envisioned a space that would connect, inform, and empower; a hub where young people could track opportunities, access knowledge, map initiatives, share their stories, and find each other. 

Two years later, that vision is alive. 

Today, NextGenYouth is a growing family of more than 7,700 young people, primarily from across the Arab region, with others joining from beyond. Because although contexts differ, youth aspirations, challenges, and ambitions often resemble one another: the desire to be heard, the need for growth opportunities, the search for belonging. 

This platform has proven to be resilient, adaptive, and determined. In an environment marked by conflict, crisis, shrinking civic space, exclusion, and funding constraints, it did not stall, it evolved and grew. 

Over the past two years, the NextGenYouth platform has become: 

• A hub for curated opportunities across the region 
• A growing e-library of open-source toolkits and learning materials 
• A space hosting youth factsheets with age-disaggregated data across the Arab region  
• A mapping of UNDP and partners youth initiatives 
• A networking and mentorship space 
• A platform where youth can publish their blogs, showcase projects, and amplify success stories 

It has also become connective tissue: linking economic empowerment with civic engagement, policy dialogue with entrepreneurship, climate action with peacebuilding. 

And we are only at the beginning. 

In 2026, we aim to strengthen what works and improve what we have learned needs refinement. We will expand Arabic-language content, because youth respond most strongly when spoken to in their own language. We will increase opportunities-driven content because access matters. We will introduce new engagement formats, including podcasts and interactive journeys. We will strengthen analytics to better understand user needs and continuously improve the experience. 

Our goal in 2026 is to grow to 10,000 youth and beyond, not just in numbers, but in depth of engagement. 

Two years after launch, we remain committed to the principle we started with: leaving no one behind. A platform that feels accessible, youth-friendly, and inclusive. A space where young people do not feel alone in their ambitions. 

Our story is one of resilience, yes, but also of calculated risk. Of choosing to build digital public goods for youth in times when it might have seemed easier to pause, of believing that even in crisis, investment in youth knowledge, voice, and connection is essential. 

Join our community and let us know what you think.