The Youth Charter (www.YouthCharter.org) has today called on Commonwealth leaders, governments and sporting institutions to ensure that the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow deliver a lasting legacy of hope and opportunity for young people across the Commonwealth.

The call follows renewed international debate around historical justice and reparations linked to the transatlantic slave trade, including a landmark resolution led by Ghana at the United Nations calling for recognition of slavery as one of the gravest crimes against humanity and encouraging nations to consider restorative measures and development initiatives. 

Responding to these developments, Youth Charter Founder and Chair Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL said that the forthcoming Commonwealth Games present a powerful opportunity to move the global conversation forward by investing in the next generation.

“The past must be acknowledged and remembered, but justice must ultimately be measured in the opportunities we create for future generations. Glasgow 2026 provides the Commonwealth with a historic opportunity to transform the debate from one of grievance to one of hope.”

The Youth Charter is proposing that the Games serve as the launch platform for a Commonwealth Youth Legacy Initiative, built around the organisation’s internationally recognised Community Campus model.

The Community Campus initiative provides place-based hubs that integrate:

• sport and physical activity
• education and digital learning
• youth leadership development
• entrepreneurship and employability programmes
• arts, culture and community engagement.

Developed over more than three decades of Youth Charter work in sport for development and peace, the Community Campus framework follows a simple pathway:

Engage – Equip – Empower

Young people are first engaged through sport and cultural activity, equipped with education and leadership skills, and ultimately empowered to pursue careers, enterprise and community leadership.

The Youth Charter believes that Glasgow 2026 offers a unique opportunity to connect sport, education and economic opportunity through the creation of:

• Commonwealth Community Campuses
• Educational bursaries for youth leadership and sport development
• Entrepreneurship incubators linked to the global sport and creative economy
• Digital learning networks connecting young people across the Commonwealth.

Such initiatives would contribute directly to the delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the areas of education, health, gender equality, economic opportunity and reduced inequalities.

Mr Thompson added:

“The real legacy of sport is not measured only in medals or stadiums, but in the lives it transforms. If the Commonwealth is serious about building a better future, then we must invest in the leadership, creativity and entrepreneurship of young people across our communities.”

With more than 60% of Commonwealth citizens under the age of 30, Youth Charter believes that investing in youth development represents one of the most powerful opportunities for social progress and economic growth.

The organisation is now calling on Commonwealth governments, sporting bodies, universities and private sector partners to collaborate in delivering a Commonwealth Youth Legacy Programme linked to Glasgow 2026.

The Youth Charter has also proposed the adoption of a Commonwealth Youth Legacy Declaration that would commit member states to expanding youth opportunity through sport, education and enterprise.

“Glasgow 2026 can become more than a sporting celebration,” Mr Thompson said.

“It can become the moment when the Commonwealth demonstrates how sport can be a catalyst for reconciliation, empowerment and sustainable development.”