Creating a livable, greener world

Ruwini Jayawardana in Rio de Janeiro

The poster designed by the National Youth Council youth group

The conclusion of the Youth Blast

Sri Lankan youth actively taking part in Youth Blast activities

Participants from other nations note down suggestions for the World Youth Conference 2014

Networking for a better tomorrow

Youth from all nations sans ethnic and religious barriers flocked together in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to create a 'better and greener world' for the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD).

World leaders along with thousands of participants from governments, private and civil organizations and NGOs throng the city to discuss how to shape the future: a better world by reducing poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection .The conference focuses on two themes: creating a green economy in the context of sustainable development poverty eradication and the institutional framework for sustainable development. Job opportunities, energy, sustainable cities, food security and sustainable agriculture, water, oceans and disaster readiness are other areas which will be other areas of concern. This goes hand in hand with UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon's comment, "sustainable development is the imperative of the twenty-first century."

Togetherness

Jayathma presents the Sri Lankan youth side event at the Youth Blast

The Sri Lankan youth delegation presented by the National Youth Services Council of Sri Lanka comprise several young individuals who have proven their mettle in various fields and embody the capacity to carry the island's flag forward. Jayathma Wickramanayake, Geethanjalee Sandamalika Dissanayake, Rasu Jemsy, Sikander Sabeer and Mohamed Husni make up the group who are ready to take Rio by storm.

Emerging from different backgrounds and armed with diverse experiences the youth worked together as a team to network and build barriers beyond borders with other youth from all parts of the world.

Speaking to the Daily News youth coordinator for the Sri Lankan youth delegation Jayathma said, "We were restricted to the boundaries of our nation.

We learnt from them on how to overcome our problems and they too were inspired in turn by hearing about our stories."

Jayathma is also the runners up for the Emerging Young Leaders Awards-2011 and a member of Emerging Young Leaders Association (EYLA).

Rasu is a member of the International Affairs Committee of the Sri Lanka Youth Parliament and SLYP intervention coordinator for UN side events. She hails from Nuwara Eliya and has been in the Youth Political Academy.

"This is a memorable experience for me as I have never been abroad before. It is great youth like us are given the chance to take part in international level conferences like this. I am happy that I was able to represent my country and the Tamil community in the delegation ," she noted.

"Rio+20 is a good opportunity for us to network with youth from other nations and get to know their view about our country and the world. They have a wide vision of the world and many concepts which we can make use of. We hope to share our experiences with our friends and organize groups in taking the post Rio+20 initiatives forward," said Sandamalika who is the Head of the Committee for the protection of Environment, Youth Club Federation and is born and bred in Badulla.

Recalling his experiences at the event youth activist from the British Council Mohomed Sikander said, " This was an good opportunity to me to show the world what Sri Lankan youth are doing for Rio+20, this summit enhanced my policy skills and negotiating skills as well."

"This was a good opportunity to network with people all round the world.

We have shared our experiences and made new contacts," said Mohamed Husni, another youth who has been involved with environment related youth campaigns in collaboration with the British Council.

"There was good recognition for our youth delegates because of our presentation which focused on what the government had done on behalf of the youth in the country.

We related facts about the youth parliament and the Emerging Young Leaders Association," Jayathma concluded.

The UNCSD will conclude will conclude on June 22. It is held to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg.