C’wealth Youth Council office opens on confab day

by Kurulu Kariyakarawana

The much anticipated Secretariat of the Commonwealth Youth Council will be opened in Hambantota on May 6.

The Secretariat set up in the government administrative complex in Hambantota is scheduled to be opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The event will take place parallel to the inauguration ceremony of the UN World Conference on Youth 2014 to be held in Magam Ruhunupura International Convention Centre in Hambantota (MRICC) with a high level UN delegation from its member countries. The Council was formed last November at the Commonwealth Youth Forum in Hambantota, where a constitution was adopted following an unanimous decision taken by the representatives of 36 countries who were present at the event.

A nine-member executive committee was appointed following an online vote, where all 54 Commonwealth countries had an opportunity to vote.

Four Sri Lankan youth representatives who contested, two were appointed Vice Chairpersons, one Regional Representative and another as Representative for Special Interest Group.

Representatives of the Youth Led Task Force, which acted as the steering committee for the 2013 Commonwealth Youth Forum and the National Youth Services Council made formal requests to set up the Commonwealth Youth Council Secretariat in Sri Lanka apart from the Commonwealth Youth Secretariat head office being in London.

Meanwhile over 1,000 delegates from over 106 countries have confirmed their participation with 30 Youth Council Ministers at the UN World Conference on Youth to begin on May 6. The first batch of delegates will arrive in the country on May 4, the sources said.