Youth Parliament in Kilinochchi

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Sri Lanka Youth Parliament will be set up in Kilinochchi, National Youth Services Council (NYSC) chairman Lalith Piyum Perera said.

“The Youth Parliament was to be established in Anuradhapura. However, considering the peaceful situation in the North, it was decided to set it up in Kilinochchi,” Perera said.

The construction of the Youth Parliament is to be completed before the middle of next year, he said.

The chairman said the Sri Lanka Youth Parliament concept was an example to other countries.

He said the NYSC functions as a statutory body under the Youth Affairs and Employment Ministry and was under the purview of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry. Sri Lanka’s Youth Parliament commenced sittings on July 16, 2012 at the Sri Lanka National Youth Services Council, Maharagama.

The National Youth Parliament consists of 335 members, of which 332 members each represent a different district in Sri Lanka and three other members were tasked with representing ethnic minorities who were appointed by the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry Secretary S S Hevapathirana.

“The Sri Lanka Youth Parliament aims to develop leadership skills of young men and women of our country and to encourage and engage them in quality and ethical political process to effectively transform Sri Lanka,” the NYSC chairman said.