CYF-2013 theme, ‘Inclusive Development: Stronger Together’ :

All set for Commonwealth Youth Forum in Hambantota

Naalir Jamaldeen reporting from Hambantota

The main auditorium

An artist's view of the Convention Centre which will host the Commonwealth Youth Forum

Hambantota city is dressed up to hold the 9th Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) from November 10 to 14. All arrangements have been finalised to hold the CYF at the newly constructed Hambantota International Convention Centre (ICC). A Botanical Garden will also be opened to coincide the CYF in Mirijjavila. President Mahinda Rajapaksa will ceremonially inaugurate the CYF on November 10.

The Sunday Observer spoke to a cross section of high ranking officers who are associated with the Commonwealth Youth Forum.

The CYF will provide a platform to set and manage an agenda for Commonwealth youth, contribute to the development and democracy, demonstrate advantages, cooperation among the young people across the commonwealth, build youth leaders’ skills, knowledge and awareness and providing opportunity to young people, National Youth Council Chairman Lalith Piyum Perera said.

He said that the CYF-2013 will be held under the theme ‘Inclusive Development: Stronger Together’.

He said that the CYF is a great opportunity to Sri Lankan youth to exchange the cultural values and ideas between Commonwealth countries and to identify the challenges, the younger generation face today and how to go further solving these problems.

Architect Ananda Samarasingha	Hambantota AGA, Y.K. Shiromi Jeewamala

Perera said that five youth who represented Sri Lanka and five who represented the Commonwealth countries made all arrangements to hold the 9th CYF in Hambantota.

The thematic areas for the CYF were selected by these youth.

An International Youth-led Task force has been appointed by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Dullas Alahapperuma to ensure the agenda is relevant and engaging and reflects the concerns of young people. Discussions at the forum will include reconciliation and social cohesion, youth in the Post-2015 development agenda, education, youth employment, gender equality, sexual health and rights, well-being and growth, and professionalisation of youth work, he said.

The CYF 2013 International Youth-led Task force is co-chaired by Kusala Fernando (Sri Lanka) and Ellie Seckold (Australia). Other members are: Jean Paul Brice Affana (Cameroon), Shireene McMillan (Grenada), Esther Eshiet (Nigeria), John Loughton (UK) and Tharika Dileepani, Sihan Dhammika Jayasinghe, Nooranie Muthaliph and Aruthra Rajasingham (Sri Lanka) The Youth Forum will be held in Hambantota.

Hambantota Assistant Government Agent Y.K. Shiromi Jeewamala said that CYF is a great opportunity to the youth Sri Lanka to exchange ideas, knowledge and cultural values with the youth who participate representing Commonwealth countries. The logo for the CYF was also modified by the youth.

She said that the foreign delegates will arrive in Sri Lanka on November 9 and provided accommodation facility at Peacock Beach Hotel, Hambantota.

Nearly 1,500 youth between 15 and 29 years representing Hambantota, Embilipitiya, Monaragala, Matara and Ratnapura areas will participate at the inaugural ceremony, she said.

She described the CYF being held in Hambantota as a great opportunity for the youth in the District too. Thirty youth representing Sri Lanka and 106 representing Commonwealth countries will participate at the CYF. Equal prominence will be given to both genders.

Jeewamala said that altogether 40 observers who are between 18 and 29 will participate. Twenty members will represent Sri Lanka and 20 will represent Commonwealth countries. CYF has been organised by Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry, National Youth Service Council and Foreign Affairs Ministry. The political authority and Hambantota Government Agent also tirelessly work to make this event a success.

The Youth of Sri Lanka will be able to learn a lot of things from CYF such as how to associate with outsiders and how to organise an international event. It is also an event where the youth who belongs to different cultures and traditions gather under one umbrella, she said.

An outcome document will be prepared on the conclusion day and will known as Hambantota declaration. The Hambantota Declaration will be submitted at the CHOGM, Jeewamala said.

An election to set up Commonwealth Youth Council will be held in the last day of the forum. Steps have been taken to set up Commonwealth Youth Council in Hambantota, she said.

The Hambantota AGA said that an Executive Committee will be set up consisting of 20 youth and they will attend the Youth Dialogue with the Heads of States meeting which will be held in BMICH. The Committee will also attend the Foreign Ministers meeting.

She said that main forum will be held for five days. Side events will also be held in line with the main event. The selected five youth from Sri Lanka and five from Commonwealth countries will participate in the main event. The rest will participate in the side events. Prince Charles will host a dinner to 20 executive committee members in Colombo.

Commonwealth. The CYF agenda consists of field visit, youth dialogue and social service campaign. Katharagama and Udawalawa are the field visit locations, she said.

Several programs in line with the CYF has been organised such as recap of introduction and thematic groups, Thematic Groups will be divided into seven groups. Policy debates and discussions will also be held, she said.

Five thousand youth representing all parts of the country including the North and East will participate in the events which are to be held in the outdoor auditorium opposite the convention centre on November 13 night. A diabetic walk has also been organised on November 14, she said.

Social service programs have also been organised in line with the CYF. The selected youth will participate at the tree planting ceremony with Commonwealth Leaders at Mirijjavila Botanical Garden Hambantota, according to Jeewamala.

The Logo has been modified in the manner to expose the unity between various ethnic and social groups. Unity is the only means to achieve the goals which is depicted by the theme “Inclusive Development: stronger together, she said.

Commonwealth Youth Forum is the first event which is to be held first in line with the CHOGM, Hambantota AGA Jeewamala said.

Sri Lanka hopes provide facilities for World Youth Forum which is to be held in 2014. We received no opportunities for such a great event for the past 30 years. This is a international event through which we can learn enough to face a global event.

Jeewamala said that 194 countries take part in World Youth Forum (WYF). The WYF will also be organised by the Youth Task Force.

This will be a great opportunity to our youth how to face the contemporary problems and how to find solution to them.

Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma extended fullest to make this event a success. The political authority the Government Agent Hambantota were also the stakeholders behind this success, she said.

Project Director, Chief Consultant Hambantota Priory Projects, Archt. Ananda Samarasingha said that the Greater Hambantota Development Program was implemented by the Urban Development Authority. The international convention centre also come under the Greater Hambantota Development Project. 75 percent of mega projects are over now.

He said that Youth Forum is a step of this development. This centre is the place from which the total development projects implemented in the Hambantota district will go to the world.

CYF is the main media to highlight the giant development that took place in Hambantota district. Namal Rajapaksa will Co-chair the Commonwealth Youth Forum, he said.

Pic: Susantha Wijegunasekara