in February 2010, to provide a concrete framework for collective efforts and to set the strategic objectives for the Year. The Framework identifies three key objectives and provides specific actions essential to implement the objectives, which are: 1. Create Awareness: increase commitment and investment in youth Increase recognition of youth development as a smart investment by the public and private sectors; Advocate for the recognition of young people’s contributions to national and community development and to achieving the Millennium Development Goals; Promote understanding of inequalities amongst youth and how to effectively address the needs of the most disadvantaged; Foster research and knowledge building on youth to better inform youth policies and programmes. 2. Mobilize and Engage: increase youth participation and partnerships Institutionalize mechanisms for youth participation in decision-making processes; Support youth-led organizations and initiatives to enhance their contribution to society; Strengthen networks and partnerships among Governments, youth-led organizations, academia, civil society organizations, the private sector, the media and the UN system, to enhance commitment and support for holistic youth development. '''3. Connect and Build Bridges: increase intercultural understanding among youth Promote youth interactions, networks and partnerships across cultures; Empower and support youth as agents of social inclusion and peace. The progress achieved during the Year will lay the foundation for further work in youth development, including the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The Framework has been disseminated to the UN system, including to Regional Commissions and Country Teams. Organizations celebrating the Year are invited to use the Framework to guide their activities. History of Youth at the United Nations In 1965, United Nations Members States first acknowledged that the contribution of young people – defined by the United Nations as those between the ages of 15 and 24 years – is essential for the development of society when they endorsed the "Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples". Twenty years later, the General Assembly observed the year 1985 as the "first International Youth Year: Participation, Development and Peace". In 1995, Member States strengthened their commitment to young people by adopting the "World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY)", which provides a policy framework and practical guidelines for national action and international support to improve the situation of young people by increasing their access to opportunities for constructive participation