KATHMANDU, Aug 12: International Youth Day is being observed across the country today by organizing various programs.

Government and non-government agencies are organizing various programs in the capital to mark the day.

Ministry of Youth and Sports and National Youth Council jointly organized a function at Nepal Academy, Kamaladi. On the occasion, various personalities were awarded the Prime Minister Intelligent Award.

The event also featured various programs including youth dialogue, poetry and essay competition, and cultural performances. A blood donation program also was held at the Nepal Academy today to mark the day.

The conference witnessed the participation of cabinet ministers, high-ranking officials, representatives from the leading youth organizations and people from various walks of life of the society.

The International Youth Day celebration program will run for a week under the international theme 'Transforming education'. The government has set 'Transforming education for entrepreneurship and innovation' as the national theme for this year's International Youth Day.

Earlier, a 201-member main organizing committee was formed under the coordination of Minister for Youth and Sports, Jagat Bahadur Bishwokarma and 17-member Secretariat under the coordination of Vice-Chair Dhungel to observe the Day successfully.

The Bagmati cleaning-up program was organized by the National Youth Council to mark the day. National Federation of Youth NGO Nepal also organized an event in Anamnagar in the capital. National Youth Network for SDGs held a 5th Sustainable Development Conference at Bode in Bhaktapur.

The Association of Youth Organizations Nepal (AYON) also organized a separate event at Staff College based in Jawalakhel to mark the day. Minister of Youth and Sports Jagat Bahadur Biswokarma was the chief guest of the event. Of the total population of Nepal, youths account for over 40%, according to the latest census.

Government honors ten youth talents 

The Ministry of Youth and Sports honored several youth talents on the occasion of the International Youth Day on Monday. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Ishwor Pokhrel; and Minister for Youth and Sports Jagat Bahadur Bishwakarma jointly honored them in recognition of their contributions to several fields.

They were honored during the "National Youth Talent and Youth Entrepreneurship Conference" held today. Ganesh Bikram Ale of Tehrathum and Yagya Prasad Devkota of Jumla (towards science and technology) were honored with a cash prize of Rs 50 thousand each.

The innovations of two youths include the bomb disposal robot and several sorts of drone which are being used by the Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force.

Similarly, Marshal Roka of Dang and Suman Poudel of Kailai each received a cash prize of Rs 100 thousand. Roka has developed a technology to produce fuel from the natural substance harvested from the Salla tree, has innovated an automatic water pumping machine and a chemical to reduce the odor of chicken manure while Poudel is recognized for innovating an automatic brake system when a driver falls asleep.

More the credit of the establishment of a science museum in Kaiali goes to him. Similarly, Blind Youth Association Nepal bagged the award (towards education) carrying a purse of Rs 100 thousand in recognition of its efforts for ensuring 10 minutes additional time per hour for the low vision people in the Public Service Commission's exams. EPSA Nepal, Kathmandu was honored with a cash prize of Rs 100 thousand for providing skill enhancement training to disabled and single women and for creating self-employment opportunities for such community.

Swajan Raghubanshi of Lalitpur received a prize of Rs 100 thousand in recognition of his contribution to the protection and promotion of cultural dances including the historic the Kattik Dance. Mala Thapa Magar of Lalitpur bagged the award (towards entrepreneurship) in recognition of her contribution to the promotion of export of Allo items. She received Rs 100 thousand.

Toplal BK of Bardiya received a cash prize carrying a purse of Rs 100 thousand for producing banana plants with the use of a tissue culture technology while Rajan Kumar Shreewastav of Parsa was awarded the 'Volunteer Honor' along with a cash prize of Rs 100 thousand for conducting self-defense course for girls.

Beautician Srijna Soti who has so far provided beautician courses including free ones to over 2,000 youths and helped them find self-employment opportunities was awarded Rs 100 thousand. The Ministry since 2066 BS has been providing several awards to youth talents associated with several fields.

What is the significance of International Youth Day? 

The United Nations states that there are currently 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world. 

"However, more than half of all children and adolescents aged 6-14 lack basic reading and maths skills, despite the fact that the majority of them are attending school. This global learning crisis threatens to severely hamper progress towards the SDGs," read a statement issued by the United Nations on its official website. 

August 12 was first designated International Youth Day by the UN General Assembly in 1999 and serves as an annual celebration of the role of young women and men as essential partners in change, and an opportunity to raise awareness of challenges and problems facing the world’s youth.

 “Transforming education” is the international theme for this year's International Youth Day. "This theme highlights efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible for all youth, including efforts by youth themselves," the UN stated.

Rooted in Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” – International Youth Day 2019 will examine how Governments, young people and youth-led and youth-focused organizations, as well as other stakeholders, are transforming education so that it becomes a powerful tool to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the statement added.

(With inputs from RSS and UN official website) 

 
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