Sunday 11 August 2013

IYD 2013 AND LAUNCH OF THE MALAWI NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2013/LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

August 12 each year is the United Nations International Youth Day (IYD).

The International Youth Day has a history dating as far back as 1985 when the UN celebrated the first International Year of Youth. In 1991 the day was proposed by young people who had gathered for the first session of the United Nations’ World Youth Forum. In 1998, the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth adopted a resolution proclaiming August 12 as International Youth Day. The recommendation was endorsed by the UN General Assembly a year later, and in 2000 the day was commemorated for the first time.

This year, the day is being commemorated worldwide under the theme: Youth Migration: Moving Development Forward.

In Malawi, however, the commemorations this year will be done under the theme: Culture, Talent: Celebrating Youth Leadership.

Migration is happening a lot both internally and across the borders, variously shaping the development of individuals, families, communities, and the nation. However, the importance of harnessing culture and talents among the youth has grown to be important for developing leadership in young people. There are various lessons culture teaches us, as are various talents that it scaffolds. It is the relationship among the three, and the evidence in various cultural settings, that Malawian youths and the general population will be celebrating on International Youth Day 2013.

Activities marking the IYD this year will be held in in accordance with the following details:

Date: Monday, 12 August, 2013

Venue: Ntcheu Community Centre Ground.

Guest of Honour: Her Excellency Mrs. Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi.

MALAWI NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY

Among the highlights of the International Youth Day event will be the adoption and launch of the Malawi National Youth Policy by Her Excellency the State President.

The policy is a document that young people and stakeholders in the youth development industry have looked forward to and have persistently advocated for.

Youths across the country have for some time questioned the absence of the policy, as there has been no official policy document to guide the direction of youth work in Malawi. The launch of this policy will mark a leap in the right direction for youth development work in Malawi.

Thursday 8 August 2013

URGENT CALL FOR APPLICATIONS TO ATTEND THE GLOBAL YOUTH SUMMIT ON ECO-TOURISM AND CLIMATE CHANGE

URGENT CALL FOR APPLICATIONS TO ATTEND THE GLOBAL YOUTH SUMMIT ON ECO-TOURISM AND CLIMATE CHANGE

This serves to notify all affiliates of the National Youth Council of Malawi that an opportunity has arisen for two Malawian youths to attend the First Global Summit on Tourism and Climate Change. The summit has been convened by Green Environ-Watch, a Zambian based environmental youth NGO. The summit will be held in Livingstone, Zambia from 15 to 17 August, 2013. The theme for the summit is: “To Promote Youth Participation in Eco-Tourism, Poverty Reduction and Building Resilience to Climate Change.”

If you know that you satisfy the following conditions:

1.      You are a young person aged 29 or below;
2.      
      You belong to a youth organisation that is affiliated to the National Youth Council of Malawi;
3.      
      Your organisation is involved in climate change, environmental conservation or eco-tourism;
4.      
      You are conversant with policy issues surrounding the topic at hand;
5.      
      You have the passion for environmental conservation ecotourism and climate change issues;
6.      
      You hold a valid passport, or shall be in possession of the same at the time of travel;

Then send a brief expression of interest to participate in the summit to the following addresses by 07:00 am on 09 August, 2013:


In your application/profile indicate:
 1
.        Your age

2.      The youth organisation you belong to and its location
3.
            Your gender
4. 
    The contribution you have made in your organisation and community in ecotourism, climate change or environmental conservation

Please spread this message to your colleagues and networks.