• admin
• November 18, 2025

How can we uphold human dignity and build solidarity in South Africa? This was a question that
the WYASA chapter founding team discussed numerous times.
This is how the first WYASA Youth day hike came to life in June 2024, 40 young people coming
together for a hike in Johannesburg and a park hike in Pretoria, water bottles in hand walking to
celebrate Youth day, leaving with not only their steps completed but with a lesson on human
dignity and the work that the World Youth Alliance does in promoting it.
The majority of the young people who attended the hike attended the first discussion on
International Law and Human rights in August, with the aid of speakers in the fields of Law,
Psychology and International relations as well as an excerpt from the Certified Training Program
we held our first WYASA event aimed at Advocacy. Speaking to 109 students from 7 High
schools about WYA at an afterschool Centre reminded us all of why we are WYASA, the
genuine interest and enthusiasm shown by the students to learn about Human Dignity could be
felt. 38 of these students signed up to join the World Youth Alliance with all requesting to learn
more and engage in WYA activities.
2025 had been a very rewarding year with the chapter hosting the second editions of the Youth
day Hike as well as the chapter discussion with this year’s theme being ‘Upholding human
dignity in a fast changing world.’ In addition to these in-person events the SA Chapter has been
hosting monthly online ‘check ins’ which are meet ups with members of the WYASA chapter.
These ‘check ins’ are characterised by laughter and solidarity, core to what we do as WYA.

Being the WYASA chapter leader is a privilege that inspires and challenges me in positive ways.
I am grateful for the awesome team I get to work with, the lessons learned, the rewards and
challenges and the message of human dignity that we get to share with people in South Africa.