Regional conference on youth

Youth Business Sri Lanka (YBSL) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, International Alert and Social Policy Analysis and Research Centre of University of Colombo, Sri Lanka held a regional youth conference recently.

The theme of the conference was "Youth as Partners for Sustainable Development and Socio-Political Stability: Experiences and Challenges from Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka" in Colombo, a YBSL media release said.

Together with the Secretaries of the Ministry of Youth Affairs in the Maldives and Nepal, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs, S. Wirithamulla inaugurated the conference. Prominent experts, youth activists, business leaders and senior bureaucrats from Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives participated.

The conference presentations and discussions focused on youth policy formulation, youth issues in relation to employment and education, the role of public - private sector partnership for youth empowerment, youth entrepreneurship development and employment initiatives and conflict involving youth in peace building and national integration.

The delegates shared their experiences and challenges on youth issues in their countries. The past interventions on youth in Sri Lanka offered case studies for the visiting delegates to draw similarities with their own countries.

The engagement of Youth in national development would provide significant returns and it is a challenge that the government, private sector and all stakeholders should take up, said Country Manager of Microsoft Sri Lanka Sriyan De Wijeyaratne.

Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs, S. Wirithamulla said, "The Government has identified the importance of upgrading the skills and engaging youth in national integration, and hence have formulated several initiatives".