The world is now passing through the fourth industrial revolution marked by the fusion of digital, robotics, and biological technological advancements. Crosscutting technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), genetic engineering, and quantum computing have brought about transformative changes in social development.

Young people have played an essential role in humanity’s progress. For example, 23-year-old Isaac Newton invented the principles of motion and gravitation, which enabled the discovery of the steam engine and mechanized production of goods, ushering the world into the first industrial revolution.

The second industrial revolution became possible when Michael Faraday invented electricity at 21. With the invention of semiconductors in the 1950s, the world moved into the electronic age that heralded the third industrial revolution.

Last year, China proposed an initiative to hold a forum to inspire further creativity of the young people across SCO countries. As a result, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held the Youth Technology and Innovation Forum in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in June. The forum recognized young people’s crucial role in promoting development and prosperity due to their energy, innovation capability, and bold vision.

Since its inception in 2001, the SCO has emerged as a model multifaceted regional body committed to promoting political stability, security, and economic cooperation. It has always upheld the Shanghai Spirit and conducted important theoretical and practical work for building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future. It has fostered further cooperation characterized by solidarity, inclusiveness, and mutual learning for countries with different social systems and development paths.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented health and economic challenges to the globalized world, reinforcing the importance of scientific and technical innovation and cooperation among nations.

Given all this, efforts to promote cooperation among young people have become even more critical for the SCO members. The convention of this forum has facilitated member states better to understand the development trends of cutting-edge technologies and industries, offering a platform for discussing global innovation rules and innovation governance.

Participants can share their innovative ideas and development philosophy, which could be helpful for them to jointly explore ways to tackle challenges facing the world, such as poverty reduction and sustainable development. It will also boost exchanges among countries in education, talent training, health, and information infrastructure construction.

Innovation and entrepreneurship mark the progress and dynamism of a country, enabling it to address problems and promote economic growth. Seizing the opportunities that the SCO forum and related incubator programs have provided, the young generation that represents the future of a country and the world as a whole will be able to master more skills and raise their capacity for pursuing innovation.

Under the SCO youth business cooperation framework, it is expected that more young people will have access to the imperative resources for innovation and entrepreneurship, such as capital, cutting-edge technologies, and a favorable environment. All this will stimulate their vitality so that they will thus serve as a bridge of friendship and solidarity and make their efforts to help deal with challenges facing development and governance.

The author is the Deputy Executive Editor of Rising Nepal.