The 7th National Youth Conference organized on the occasion of the International Youth Day 2022 with the main slogan "Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages" has been concluded with the release of the 9-point Kathmandu Declaration.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Chief Guest and Vice President of the National Youth Council, Surendra Basnet, said that more than 40% of the youth were elected in the local level elections held in Baisakh and that the general youth had new hope. Similarly, he said that the youth, who will move forward only in the movement of rights, should realize their responsibility and use their energy to build the country.
Speaking at the program, Shyam Krishna Shrestha, consultant and environmental expert of the organization, said that the country should be made suitable for young people to live and sustain themselves by putting an end to the situation of having to risk their lives and go for foreign employment. Moni Shrestha, the representative of TDH Germany in Nepal, spoke about various aspects of youth concerns, government agencies, social organizations, and youth clubs/networks. And he said that the youth campaign can achieve success only through the cooperation of all stakeholders.
In the closing ceremony of the program, Shriram Bajgai, Director of INSEC Nepal, Jajraj Shahi, President of HURENDEC Nepal, Khimanand Devkota, Secretary General of Association of Youth Organizations Nepal (AYON), representative of Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN), and others gave their views on youth rights and campaigns.
Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, the Honorable Speaker of the National Assembly, inaugurated the two-day conference in Kathmandu. Similarly, on the first day on 28th, three sessions were conducted on localization of sustainable development, youth potential in tourism, politics, and youth leadership.
In the first session moderated by the General Secretary of Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations Nepal, Arjun Bhattarai, Deputy Secretary of the National Planning Commission, Yadunath Gautam, was the guest speaker.
Similarly, in the group discussion on politics and youth leadership, guest speakers Nepali Congress Central Committee Member Nainsingh Mahar, CPN UML Central Committee Member Madhav Dhungel, CPN Maoist Central Politburo Ramdeep Acharya, CPN United Socialist Central Committee Member Honorable Rama Ale Magar discussed the challenges and opportunities in the current Nepali politics. And expressed his opinion on the possibility. In the session on 'Youth and Tourism', the manager of the Nepal Tourism Board, Surya Thaplia, explained the various aspects of tourism and the role of youth.
Similarly, on the second day, on the 29th, group discussions were held in two sessions on youth and entrepreneurship and youth, climate, and biodiversity conservation. Journalist and youth activist Sobita Gautam conducted the session on youth and entrepreneurship, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security Kaviraj Upreti and youth entrepreneur Prakriti Mainali were the guests speakers.
Program coordinator Amrit Devkota said that a national mechanism is needed to debate and lobby from the local level to the national level to advance environmental rights as human rights of youth and children.
This session was moderated by Sriram Choulagai, director of INSEC, Milanraj Dharel, former executive director of National Child Rights Council, and child rights expert, Kiran Thapa, co-chairman of NACG, Bishnu Khatri, child rights expert, and others gave their views on environmental rights of children and youth.
Coordination with National Youth Network for Sustainable Development, Project Nepal, National Youth Council, Nepal Tourism Board and Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations, and more than 20 national and international organizations including TDH Germany, AIN Strom Foundation, Good Shepherd, Hurendek Nepal, Rural Development Organization Kavre More than 100 youths from all over the country participated in the program coordinated by Sang.
The two-day National Youth Conference issued a 9-point Kathmandu manifesto, demanding the establishment of a youth-friendly government system, taking initiatives with political parties, parliament, and the government to maintain 50 percent youth candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections, promoting skills and expanding entrepreneurship-friendly policies and structures to the local level. It has also been handed over to the National Youth Council.
In addition, Secretary General Sanjip Neupane informed that in the coming days, the national and international bodies concerned in the field of sustainable development and youth will move forward in cooperation and the organization is preparing for the South Asian Youth Conference in the near future. The two-day conference was presided over by Amrit Devkota, Central President of Sanjal.
