(VOVworld) – This year’s International Youth Day on 12 August has been observed to recognize the efforts of young migrants to overcome difficulties in search of work, a better education, and a better way of life in new countries.

Migration is the  greatest poverty reduction strategy and young migrants have become powerful agents of change and development (Photo: unmultimedia.org)

To mark this occasion, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent a message to a seminar ‘Young migrants and the development process’ in New York, highlighting the great contributions of migrants to the economic, cultural, and social developments of their home countries, the host nations, and even the nations they are temporarily staying in while waiting for an official immigration status.

Ban said that many of the migrants brought with them their life and work experiences, ideas, science and the technological breakthroughs they have learned about during the time they were away from home to develop their homeland. Many had also sent back a lot of money as well as priceless knowledge regarding science, technology, human development, social and gender equality to advance their home countries. The UN leader called for all nations to pay more attention to young migrants to help them in settle in their new communities.