The potential of youth

Youth are the lifeblood of any country and indeed, of the world itself. Although various countries define ‘youth’ in different ways, it is generally accepted that youth are persons in the age group 15-35. This is the most productive and prime period of life for any person. The youth are a vital asset for any nation striving to achieve progress. It is in this context that we should look at the upcoming celebration of International Youth Day on August 12. It has been celebrated for nearly 11 years from Year 2000.

On December 17, 1999, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, August 8-12, 1998) that August 12 be declared International Youth Day.

This year’s International Youth Day is a particularly important day for youth around the world. The theme for this year is ‘Dialogue and Mutual Understanding’.

The choice of theme reflects the UN General Assembly’s appreciation of the value of dialogue among youth from different cultures, communities as well as among different generations. According to the UN, the International Youth Day gives the world an opportunity to recognise the potential of youth, to celebrate their achievements, and plan for ways to better engage young people to successfully take action in the development of their countries and societies. It presents a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to rally together to ensure that young people are included in decision-making at all levels.

The society should also harness new ideas possessed by youth. Youth are innovative, bold and determined to succeed. They usually have a fresh ‘take’ even on existing problems, which could lead to far easier solutions.

They should be given every chance to express their ideas for the betterment of society through a multitude of - media, meetings, educational platforms etc. The achievements of youth in every field must be publicized and celebrated. Sri Lanka, which is emerging out of a very dark period in its history when terrorism ravaged it for 30 long years, has a golden opportunity in this year’s theme of “dialogue and mutual understanding” in the march towards reconciliation. For far too long, our society has been fractured along various divisions and there had been minimal dialogue among youth from different communities. It was a case of brother against brother on different sides of the ethnic divide. But now that peace has dawned with the defeat of terrorism, the efforts for reconciliation must gather pace. Youth are the ideal ambassadors for this drive. Depending on their native language, youth must be encouraged to learn Sinhala or Tamil.

This will remove one barrier (language) to dialogue and mutual understanding among youth from different communities. Sinhalese youth from Colombo will be able to freely converse with their Tamil brethren in Jaffna and vice versa if both groups know the each other’s language well enough.

Such a dialogue, in both literal and metaphorical senses, will clear certain misconceptions they could be harbouring about each other.

They will better understand the nuances of each other’s cultures. It will dissipate distrust and create lasting bonds. A stronger, united youth force will be an invaluable asset to Mother Lanka. Achieving reconciliation will be much easier with youth at the helm.

It must not be forgotten that the authorities are rehabilitating thousands of ex-LTTE cadres so that they could enter the society as reformed individuals. These are youth who had seen the futility of fighting and the benefit of peace.

They are ideal ambassadors for spreading the message of mutual understanding among the different segments of youth in society. It is also important to give youth a bigger say in society. Some adults tend to disregard the views of youth, but they could have better insights and fresh perspectives on various matters.

The leadership qualities of youth must be harnessed for the betterment of society.

The recent local government elections saw the election of a large number of youth from different communities and backgrounds to local bodies islandwide.

This augurs well for the future development of Sri Lanka, because youth at grass roots level often have a better knowledge of development and social needs of their own areas.

They have become active partners in the decision-making process. It is also encouraging to note that a fair number of young women had been elected to local bodies.

In fact, gender equity is a very important factor in celebrating the talents of youth. Young women are a formidable force in society and they make a huge contribution to the country’s economy, especially if migrant workers are taken into account.

Compared to many other developing countries, discrimination against girls and young women are at a low level in our society, but more needs to be done to prevent the sexual/physical exploitation of young women and crimes against them.

Young women must be given every possible assistance and encouragement to reach the top in their respective fields. They have a major role to play in the development process.

Education is a vital component in the life of a youth. Unfortunately, our universities cannot enroll all the students who are qualified for higher education. There must be a proper mechanism to guide these youth on other educational and vocational avenues that could benefit society. An educated youth workforce is a plus point for any society.Youth also excel in a variety of sports.

The sporting achievements of youth must be duly recognised. Youth, especially those in rural areas must be given all facilities and incentives to engage in sports.

There could be hundreds of sports stars in the making in rural areas, who are unable to rise and shine due to many constraints. The International Youth Day is an opportunity to reflect on these and many other issues that confront the nation’s youth.

They can now focus positively on the future without acts of terrorism threatening to cut them down in the prime of their lives. The society should realise their potential.

Youth is a period in our lives that is worthy of celebration and our youth too are an asset that should be protected and nurtured.