UNDP and Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts Strengthen Partnership to Deliver a Transformative 2026 National Youth Week

For Immediate Release

March 12, 2026

Photograph: diverse group on a grassy field holding colorful placards under a cloudy sky. — National Youth Week brought together young people from across Zambia through sports, entrepreneurship fairs, community service and dialogue with leaders to celebrate youth talent, leadership and innovation.

Photo by; Vanessa Wematu Akibate/UNDP Zambia

Solwezi, Zambia, 12^th March 2026 - The 2026 National Youth Week will move beyond celebration to become a national platform for structured youth influence, economic opportunity, and strengthened wellbeing systems, driven by the Government of Zambia and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, this year’s Youth Week adopts a youth-led, participatory model that builds on recommendations raised during the National Youth Indaba. The approach reflects Government’s continued commitment to meaningful youth engagement, ensuring that young people from all ten provinces contribute directly to shaping national priorities.

Through the Health4Life Project, UNDP is supporting the Ministry to translate dialogue into durable systems, institutionalising policy follow-up, strengthening economic linkages, and embedding mental health services within youth programming.

Speaking at the National commemoration in Solwezi, on the 12th of March, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, encouraged young people to embrace the theme of this year’s Youth Week and truly “Arise and Soar.” He called on the youth to honour the legacy of those who came before them, noting that young people remain a vital asset to Zambia’s development. The President further reaffirmed his government’s commitment to creating opportunities for youth growth and urged young people to seize these opportunities with discipline, purpose and responsibility.

Since 2022, MYSA has convened the Annual Youth Week as a flagship platform for youth engagement with the Head of State, senior government officials, development partners, and industry leaders. In 2026, UNDP’s partnership deepens this model by introducing systems that strengthen accountability, economic inclusion, and wellbeing outcomes. Through coordinated collaboration with several partners, the 2026 Youth Week will convert dialogue into tracked commitments and structured follow-up mechanisms.

Man in suit chats with attendees beside a pamphlet table, Turkish flags in the background.

Sunlit park memorial with a tall obelisk, wreaths and flowers, and a person in yellow near flags.

Man in a blue striped shirt at a table with papers; crowd gathers under a white tent.

Diverse audience at a conference hall, many attendees wear lanyards and raise phones to film.

Outdoor stage on a waterfront, performers under a white canopy with banners and logos.

Group of people at an indoor event posing with raised hands and phones; projector screen behind.

Person in wheelchair at a conference with a UNDP banner and orange recycling sign on the chair.

Group of people posing with a banner under a white canopy at an outdoor event.

Two people smile behind a table at a charity booth with UNDP banners.

Group around a green-and-white chessboard indoors, with spectators in the background.

Photo of kids playing soccer on a dusty field, wearing blue and red jerseys.

Two boxers spar in an outdoor boxing ring; one wearing red gear and the other wearing blue shorts.

Group of people around a table with a lit birthday cake on a colorful plaid tablecloth.

Under the theme “Arise and Soar,” this year’s Youth Week calls on young people to rise with confidence, resilience and purpose while also challenging institutions to rise to meet youth aspirations. The 2026 National Youth Week will include a range of activities, including:

Official Launch and Youth Sports Tournament at East Park Mall, Lusaka
Youth Careers Fair and Entrepreneurs Fair at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre
National Youth Indaba with participation from all 156 constituencies, graced by the Republican President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema
Youth Community Service activities across provinces
Youth Concert, Townhall Meeting and Sports Day in Solwezi
And the Presidential Wreath Laying Ceremony on 12 March.

An estimated 2,000 young people will participate in person at the National Youth Indaba, with more than 10,000 joining virtually. Importantly, Youth Week is supported by online volunteers – coordinated by the United Nations Volunteers. They have contributed to branding and communications assets reinforcing the role of volunteerism in national development.

UNDP remains committed to working with the Government of Zambia, through the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Arts, to drive a shared vision towards youth development, making it integrated, measurable and sustained beyond commemorative events.

As the theme declares, Zambia’s youth are ready to rise and soar. Through strengthened partnerships and institutional reform, the systems around them are rising too.

### ### ###

For more information and media interviews, contact:

Pity Halwindi, National Coordinator, pity.halwindi@undp.org

Mercy Khozi, Communications Analyst, mercy.khozi@undp.org