BEIJING -- The 2024 World Youth Development Forum opened in Beijing on Monday, with more than 2,000 young people from over 130 countries and 20 international organizations participating both online and on-site.

Monday marks International Youth Day. More than 500 young leaders and youth representatives gathered here for the forum's opening ceremony and plenary meeting.

The participants will also tour other Chinese cities, such as Nanning and Hangzhou, in the following days and engage in discussions about green development, digital development, cultural inheritance and innovation, as well as youth development-oriented cities.

Themed "Together for a Better Future," the event is expected to serve as an important occasion to pool youth strength for implementing both the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Development Initiative, according to the forum organizer.

The forum is co-hosted by the All-China Youth Federation, United Nations in China and the organizing committee of the forum. The first edition of the forum was held in 2022.