COLOMBO, May 6 -- World youth need to get involved to define the post-2015 global development agenda because "the stakes are just too high" to do otherwise, President of the United Nations General Assembly John William Ashe said Tuesday.

Addressing the World Conference on Youth (WCY) 2014 in Sri Lanka, Ashe insisted that youth have to spearhead the next decade of global development. "There are sections of society that was clearly not included in the previous global development drive," he said referring to the Millennium Development Goals.

"This time around we have to make sure that they are involved. This is about youth, without you this cannot happen. Do not let this happen the stakes are far higher. You need to get involved. You have to make this about you. Ultimately you have to take part in decision making. Get involved," he said at the opening ceremony of the event.

He also acknowledged that better tracking of goals and tighter timelines are needed to deal with the challenge of extreme poverty, adding high levels of illiteracy, lack of healthcare, violence and inequality continue to hamper youth in all parts of the world.

Ashe is part of a list of invitees that include ministers and senior government officials from over 40 countries, national youth delegates representing 169 countries and over 750 youth delegates representing various civil society movements.

The conference is expected to bring together 1,500 participants, half of them young people, and 150 of them will come from marginalized backgrounds, making the conference one of the most well represented youth events at the global level.

The pre-conference process is led by an independent international youth task force which represents major global youth organizations and regional platforms ensuring regional and gender balance.

The WCY 2014 will last till Saturday in Colombo.

Having higher participation than the last WCY in Mexico in 2010, organizers hope that the event will provide the platform for an agreement between youth organizations and government policymakers that will be used to give young people space in the post-2015 global development.

The WCY is also closely linked to the Commonwealth of which Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the current chairman.