Vatican Youth Symposium 2025
YAEI Represents Africa at Vatican Youth Symposium 2025
In a monumental stride for African youth leadership, Mr. Risuna Maluleke, CEO of the Youth African Entrepreneurship Initiative (YAEI), proudly represented South Africa at the Vatican Youth Symposium 2025.
The prestigious gathering, hosted in Vatican City, brought together young global changemakers, policy influencers, faith leaders, and innovators to advance sustainable development and intergenerational dialogue on critical global issues from over 38 countries.
Held under the theme “Youth for People, Planet, and Peace”, the 2025 edition of the symposium focused on actionable solutions for Agenda 2030 and the role of youth in shaping a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world.
As a prominent voice in African entrepreneurship and youth development, Maluleke was invited to speak on a high-level panel, addressing the theme on “Scaling Up: Innovation and Entrepreneurship.” His contribution spotlighted the work of the YAEI being done across South Africa with the Youth Entrepreneurship Tour, through various partnerships with Absa, Provincial Government, W&RSETA, VISA and institutions of higher learning to support youth-led enterprises, bridge the investment gap, and build innovation ecosystems that leave no young person behind.
“To be invited to share South Africa’s youth entrepreneurship journey on a global platform like the Vatican Youth Symposium is a profound honour. It’s a recognition of the work we’re doing at YAEI and a call to continue building a generation of African change agents,” said Maluleke.
Maluleke emphasized the power of public-private partnerships, grassroots mobilisation, and inclusive policy in empowering African youth to become architects of their own futures. He also shared insights from the Youth Entrepreneurship Tour (YET) – a multi-provincial initiative powered by YAEI in partnership with Absa and supported by government entities – which has reached thousands of young innovators across South Africa.
Hosted by Scholas Occurrentes, the Pontifical Foundation endorsed by Pope Francis, in partnership with the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN Youth), the symposium has become one of the world’s leading youth-focused development gatherings. It seeks to harness the collective leadership of youth and build cross-cultural, cross-faith, and cross-sectoral bridges to solve humanity’s greatest challenges.
Risuna Maluleke’s participation not only underscored South Africa’s leadership in youth innovation but also opened doors for future global collaborations aimed at strengthening the African entrepreneurship ecosystem.
