A/RES/56/117 organizations, in particular youth organizations, to exchange knowledge and expertise on youth-related issues, upon setting up the ways and means to do so; 7. Welcomes the public information activities organized by the Secretariat for International Youth Day, 12 August, as a way to promote better awareness, especially among youth, of the World Programme of Action; 8. Recognizes that information and communications technology plays a crucial role as a potential means of promoting participation, access to information and education and networking possibilities for young people; 9. Welcomes the fact that the special session of the General Assembly on children will also discuss issues relevant to youth; 10. Expresses its appreciation to the Government of Senegal for its support to the fourth session of the World Youth Forum of the United Nations System, held at Dakar from 6 to 10 August 2001, where, once again, youth delegates had the opportunity to meet and debate strategies for youth empowerment; 6 11. Affirms that future sessions of the World Youth Forum should integrate an active and representative involvement of youth organizations and young people into all planning, reviewing and decision-making processes, and invites the SecretaryGeneral to conduct a thorough review of and provide recommendations on the Forum’s structure, organization, participation, including to ensure that it is fully representative of all geographical regions and of a diversity of views, and processes, taking into account the views of Member States and youth organizations, and, in this context, to include this matter in his report to the General Assembly at its fiftyeighth session, through the Commission for Social Development at its forty-first session; 12. Recognizes the importance of the full and effective participation of youth and youth organizations at the local, national, regional and international levels in promoting and implementing the World Programme of Action and in evaluating the progress achieved and the obstacles encountered in its implementation and of the need to support the activities of youth mechanisms that have been set up by youth and youth organizations, bearing in mind that young people are active agents for positive change and development in society; 13. Also recognizes the great importance of the empowerment of youth through building the capacity of young people to achieve greater independence, overcoming constraints to their participation and providing them with opportunities to make decisions that affect their life and well-being; 14. Reaffirms the decision of the heads of State and Government, as contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration,4 to develop and implement strategies that give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work, welcomes in this context the Secretary-General’s initiative to create a Youth Employment Network, and invites the Secretary-General to continue with these initiatives; 15. Expresses deep concern over the fact that, currently, approximately half of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are in youth aged 15 to 24 years and that no fewer than 6,500 young people are infected by the virus each day, and reiterates the need to achieve the goals and commitments contained in the _______________ 6 See A/C.3/56/2, concerning the fourth session of the World Youth Forum. 3