Youth and Peacebuilding through provincial symposiums
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s Youth4Youth programme enables and empowers youth from Northern, Eastern, Southern & Central provinces to interact with one another on social issues, propose and implement community projects to address these issues while also learning from one another.
During these sessions, youngsters will have the opportunity to engage with mentors from the government, private sector, academia and civil society to receive guidance in formulating sustainable solutions for community projects.
Sri Lanka’s youth population is estimated at 4.4 million, which amounts to 25 %of the total population. In recognizing the need to mobilise youth, the UNFPA in Sri Lanka, which gave effect to a Security Council Resolution on Youth, Peace & Security (UNSCR 2250) strives to incorporate young people as integral stake holders in peacebuilding and the decision making process.
A Youth4Youth Southern Province symposium was held recently. “I am really excited about meeting and interacting with young people of the same age, who are from a totally different region in the country,” Suhail (23), from Mullativu said.
He first engaged with UNFPA through the first Youth4Youth regional symposium for youth from the Northern Province, held in November 2017. Over 100 youth from 5 districts of the Northern Province came together to actively discuss and implement solutions within their communities during the 4- day reginal symposium. Suhail, as a member of the youth- led organizing committee of Youth4Youth travelled to Batticaloa to be part of the second Youth4Youth regional symposium for youth in the Eastern Province. This symposium held in February over 4 days brought together over 80 young people representing various communities from both urban and rural settings of the Eastern Province. The symposium also included students from Vaalvosai School for Deaf Children in Batticaloa.
Elaborating the importance od Youth4Youth programme is Ritsu Nacken, UNFPA Representative in Sri Lanka said, “Young people are a strong force of creativity, innovation and change. We are proud to enable youth to connect with their brothers and sisters from the North, East, South and Central Provinces and to provide them a platform to continuously engage with one another towards building lasting peace.”
The Youth4Youth programme is coordinated by UNFPA in partnership with Un volunteers (UNV) and supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund.