Lankan delegation for World Youth Festival:

Youth power for development

Minister of Higher Education S. B. Dissanayake mentioned that Sri Lankan youth and students were now more focused on the rapid development of the country since the defeat of terrorism.

The Minister was speaking at a preparatory meeting in Colombo for the 17th World Festival of Youth and Students to be held in December in Pretoria, South Africa.

The motto of the festival is "To strengthen the anti-imperialist struggle and to make peace all over the world."

Minister Dissanayake in his speech said: "Today, youth committees of all political parties are together with the Sri Lanka Preparatory Committee to build a new mindset for our youth. Unfortunately, the JVP is not cooperating. But all university students are with me for this special event today. They are not arguing over this important and practical concept. We are now free of terrorism and growing rapidly, economically and conceptually. The new era of Sri Lanka has started.

"All Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese students and all political youth representatives are with us today. Even earlier, the Sri Lanka Communist Party gave leadership to operating this movement in Sri Lanka with no disturbances, with the help of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Sama Samaja Party. I wish to express my gratitude to them for their contribution towards the continuation and success of this movement in Sri Lanka. Similarly, this youth and student movement has been supported and strengthened by giant world leaders such as Russia, India, Cuba, North Korea and South Africa.

"We have come across many difficulties during the past, but are now in a better position to withstand imperialism in the world and stand up proudly towards peace and friendship. We established this group with the participation of all leading youth and student organisations in the country, including 19 different organisations representing all political streams and ethnicities.

"President of 'Tharunyata Hetak' Namal Rajapaksa MP, Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayaka and about 35 youth will participate in this important event in South Africa this December."