AN GIANG Province, Vietnam – April 24, 2026

Despite being frequent road and public space users, Vietnamese urban youth are often excluded from the city design and traffic safety decisions that impact them mostly directly. This must change – there can be no action without youth.

Putting youth at the decision-making table, Youth Action for Livable Cities, a campaign under the Empowering Youth for Livable Cities, aims to create meaningful opportunities for young people to participate in increasing sustainable mobility and building more livable cities. The initiative was first piloted through the AI&Me: Empowering Youth for Safer Roads program in three cities across Vietnam—Ho Chi Minh City, Gia Lai, and Lao Cai—from 2021 to 2024. The campaign is now expanding to Vinh Long and An Giang provinces, where youth voices are being placed at the center of discussions about urban futures.

On April 24 in An Giang province, a launch event was held with the participation of representatives from the Provincial Department of Education and Training, Public Security, Youth Union, Department of Construction, and local authorities, as well as students, teachers, parents from 6 schools, and the media.

The event was led by AIP Foundation, the An Giang Department of Education and Training, and the Department of Construction. With support from Fondation Botnar and the FIA Foundation, and in collaboration with the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) and Youth for Road Safety (YOURS), the launch event reaffirmed a shared commitment to meaningful youth participation in urban development.

Students were active contributors throughout the event. Through activities which included building models of their “City of Dreams,” facilitating interactive game booths, and participating in a debate session on the topic ‘The role of youth in the decision-making process for implementing mobility infrastructure renovation solutions,’ students were able to share thoughtful perspectives on the importance of including youth voices to improve well-being and promote sustainable traffic safety. The debate session was especially dynamic, bringing together six teams from six different schools, whose participants confidently presented and defended their ideas throughout the discussion. The first place prize was awarded to Pho Co Dieu High School.

During the event, youth leader groups from participating schools were introduced with clearly defined roles and responsibilities to help turn ideas into action, supported by government institutions and civil society.

The event concluded with musical performances and the announcement of creative booth results. Notably, this event marked the beginning of a long-term journey in which adolescents will continue to be supported with tools such as the Youth Engagement App (YEA) to reflect, propose co-created solutions, and actively contribute to building safer and more livable cities across the project’s target provinces.

“We are deeply impressed by this innovative approach that places students at the Center of Urban Development. By combining education with real-world engagement, this initiative equips young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become active contributors to their communities,” said Mirjam Sidik, Chief Executive Officer at AIP Foundation. “We look forward to continued collaboration with partners and witnessing how our students, when trained and supported, grow into responsible, engaged citizens who help shape safer and more livable cities for the future.”