More than 30,000 young people from over 70 countries have jointly painted a rosy picture of sustainable development driven by technological innovation at the 2020 Sustainable Development and International Youth Innovation Forum in Shenzhen, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

The innovation event, which was held in Shenzhen on Tuesday and Wednesday, aimed to strengthen the introduction and cultivation of sci-tech talent and high-level innovation teams with the level on a par with global counterparts.

Xu Youjun, deputy chairman of the city’s political advisory body, said at the forum that scientific and technological innovation serves as the primary driving force for the development of Shenzhen.

Shenzhen will further deepen reform in the field, effectively integrate innovation resources and fully stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship in the whole society to promote better and faster development of the city, according to Xu.

U.N. Under-Secretary-General Almida Ali Shahbana also delivered a speech via video links at the forum. Shahbana pointed out that youths are the main driving force of social, economic and cultural changes, and put forward some earnest expectations for the young generation to promote the world’s future development.

Shahbana said the agencies and partners of the United Nations system are working closely with member states and all stakeholders to find new ways to help young people and develop innovative solutions with them to promote the implementation of sustainable development goals.

The solutions are expected to be put in place in the Asia-Pacific region soon, according to Shahbana.

It is also announced at the forum that the UNIDO Network of Investment and Technology Promotion Offices will carry out two cooperation projects with Shenzhen Federation of Youth Entrepreneurship Promotion to boost global value investment.