International Youth Day:

Sustainability - a challenge for the youth

by Pramod DE SILVA

The youth are a very important segment of society. They are often referred to as tomorrow's leaders. They constitute the majority of the world's population.

The world will focus on the youth and their problems on International Youth day, which falls on August 12. Indeed, the youth do face many problems such as unemployment, lack of educational opportunities and social injustices.

These factors have given rise to youth rebellions in many countries, including Sri Lanka. Governments have a prime responsibility to address these factors. In Sri Lanka, the 30-year-conflict has claimed the lives of thousands of youth. War and conflict are thus two other factors that affect the youth the world over.

The International Youth Day was an initiative of the United Nations. The General Assembly on 17 December 1999 in its resolution 54/120, endorsed the recommendation made by the *World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that August 12 be declared International Youth Day. The First International Youth Day was celebrated in 2000.

Every year, the Day is celebrated under a different theme. This year's theme is Sustainability: Our Challenge-Our Future. This is an appropriate theme for the Youth, because they will inherit the Earth's resources. But as the UN points out, it not only refers to maintaining environmental balance and renewal. "Sustainability encapsulates three facets of life: the environment, society and the economy". The interplay among these factors was felt recently when the world faced a food, oil and economic crisis, all at the same time. The youth in many countries were severely affected, particularly as jobs were lost.

All these factors should have a sustainability component. Youth do have a major role to play in this regard. We are consuming economic and social resources at a rate faster than we can replenish them. If this trend is not reversed, today's youth and children will face a serious problem in the future. Thus it is a major challenge - a challenge that will affect the future.

Energizers

The UN has this to say about youth and sustainability: "As the energizers of today and the holders of tomorrow, it is imperative that youth "embrace the challenge of sustainability" "in its fullness" as they help pave the way forward through the 21st century and beyond.

Youth action, inclusion, and their full participation are key to developing today's world for the generations of today and tomorrow and central to a sustainable existence."

But Governments around the world should also fulfil other obligations towards the youth, while involving them in ensuring sustainability. For example, there should be other educational and career paths for youth who fail to enter the conventional universities. Employment creation is equally important.

In Sri Lanka, unemployment is fortunately less than 6 per cent, but it should come down further. Encouraging more youth to venture into self-employment and small scale enterprises could be a solution.

Youth empowerment is another important issue. It can be on political and social levels - their voices should be heard by the rest of society. Their views and inputs should be taken into account vis-à-vis development and welfare projects.

It is praiseworthy that some of or elections require a youth participation (i.e.candidates) of at least 35 per cent. This is a step in the right direction.

It is also essential to provide young women with more economic, educational, social and political opportunities. Many societies unfortunately neglect girls and women. This should not be the case.

Youth have varied aspirations for a better tomorrow. They have goals for themselves and the world they live in. As the world celebrates another Youth Day, all should realize the importance of allowing the youth a bigger say regarding the future of our Earth.