ULAN BATOR, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has launched a youth volunteer development center to encourage more young people involved in the country's social development.

"Youth participation is important to solve any problem facing the country," Sodnomtsog Sukh-Ochir, head of the Youth Development Department of the country's capital Ulan Bator, told a press conference on Tuesday.

The center aims to raise awareness among the public on the need to volunteer and how young people can play a role in solving problems facing the country, Sukh-Ochir added.

The center is first of its kind in the country to focus on all sectors of society, he said, adding that the door of this center will always be open to young people who are willing to take part in humanitarian efforts.

The center plans to hold activities directed at promoting public health, protecting the environment, promoting urban culture, and preventing natural disasters and accidents.

Mongolia has a young population with nearly one in three classified as between 15 and 34 years, according to the United Nations Development Programme, adding that a significant challenge facing this group is income generation.