UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- Moon on Thursday launched the International Year of Youth, with a call to “focus on the need to encourage dialogue and understanding across generations, cultures and religions.”

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the International Youth Day at the UN General Assembly Hall, Ban said: “This year’s commemoration of International Day also marks the launch of the International Year of Youth, under the theme ‘Dialogue and Mutual Understanding. ‘”

The special year will officially last until Aug. 11, 2011. It has been designated as a time to encourage outreach between generations and across borders to build a more peaceful and prosperous world.

“During the International Year, the United Nations and its youth organization partners will focus on the need to encourage dialogue and understanding across generations, cultures and religions,” he said.

“In a world in which different peoples and traditions are coming into closer, more frequent contact than ever before, it is crucial that young people learn how to listen intently, empathize with others, acknowledge divergent opinions, and be able to resolve conflicts,” he said.

In a speech to participants in the launch, Ban urged policymakers and leaders to be inclusive of youth because the younger generation has much to teach the older.

“I call on member states to increase their investments in young people so they can do even more,” he said.

The investment-boosting program will benefit the estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide aged between 15 and 24, he said.

“Today’s challenging social and economic environment warrant a special focus on youth,” Ban said.

“The energy of youth can spark economies, young entrepreneurs can reach new markets, young communicators can reach new audiences, ” said Ban. “The idealism and creativity of youth are some of the most important resources any country has.”

Ban stressed the imperative of helping less fortunate youth in developing countries over the course of the year. He told the audience that almost 9 out of 10 people from ages 15 to 24 live in developing countries and have borne the brunt of a global economic crisis of late that was not their fault.

“As economies slowly begun to stabilize we must focus on the needs of these young people. This is the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do,” he said.

In his speech, Ban explained that his current generation of leaders has a role to play in the International Year of Youth as well.

“Young people will inherit all of our work, our successes and our failures,” said Ban. “I want to make sure that the torch we pass is a torch of peace and a torch of hope, not a torch of burden for them to carry.”

The UN declared the first International Year of Youth in 1985. Ten years later, an official framework for promoting support for youth internationally was adopted by the General Assembly.

The world’s youth account for about 18 percent of the world’s population. Some 87 percent of them live in developing countries, where they face the challenges of limited access to resources, health care, education, training, employment and other economic opportunities.

During the International Year, the UN will focus on three overarching objectives — increasing commitment and investment in youth; raising youth participation and partnerships; and boosting inter-cultural understanding among youth.