Jayathma Wickramanayake

Jayathma Wickramanayake (born 22 November 1990) is a Sri Lankan born international civil servant who currently serves as the United Nations Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth. Appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in June 2017, she succeeds Ahmad Alhendawi of Jordan, who served as the first Envoy on Youth from 2013 to 2017. Prior to taking her role as the Envoy, Wickramanayake led youth development efforts both on an international and national level in her home country, Sri Lanka. In this regard, she co-founded the youth organization Hashtag Generation, aimed at increasing the civic and political engagement of Sri Lankan young people, particularly young women. Wickramanayake also served as the country's first-ever Youth Delegate and actively participated in the establishment of World Youth Skills Day. Early life and education Jayathma Wickramanayake was born in the coastal town of Bentota in Sri Lanka. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in science from the University of Colombo. While at university, Wickramanayake became the runner-up in the first competition organized by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Youth Affairs to select emerging young leaders in the country. Professional career In 2012, Wickramanayake was selected as the country's first-ever Youth Delegate to the United Nations and took part in the United Nations 67th General Assembly. As she was finishing her tenure as Youth Delegate in 2013, Wickramanayake was appointed as a member and youth lead negotiator of the International Youth Task Force of the World Youth Conference 2014, hosted by Sri Lanka. In this capacity, she advised on the conference's programme, agenda, proceedings and declaration. Building on the outcomes of the conference, Wickramanayake also played a key role in mainstreaming youth concerns in the Post-2015 Development Agenda and in recognizing July 15 as the World Youth Skills Day, a proposal of Sri Lanka to the 69th UN General Assembly.