Leading up to the celebration are a number of activities being held this week at the Honiara City Council's Multipurpose Hall.
International Youth Day is held annually and is set by the United Nations to give every community in every country a chance to recognise the potential of young people, to celebrate their achievements, and plan for ways to better engage young people to successfully take action in the development of their societies.
This year International Youth Day will launch 2010 as the International Year of Youth, with the theme 'Dialogue and Mutual Understanding', which coincides with the 25th anniversary of the first International Youth Year in 1985 on the theme 'Development and Peace'.
International Youth Day celebrations began on Monday with an on air radio talk back show led by young people on SIBC.
Young people will be put at the very heart of planning for the future, in a Youth Forum on Tuesday.
Young people are being asked to consult on Honiara's Urban Youth Policy and the National Youth Policy as well as drafting an action plan.
Tomorrow, a Youth Stakeholders Forum will be held where young people's policy feedback and action plans are presented, with workshops in the afternoon on topics such as the Millennium Development Goals, youth in decision making and media and advocacy.
On Thursday main celebrations and a parade will be held.
Attractions on the day include popular local bands, modern and traditional dancing, drama performances, features from Solo Icon, live art and more.
Young entrepreneurs and youth groups will be invited to sell food, art and craft, as well and to promote their work.
Elwyn Talo, Solomon Islands Youth for Change, says “IYD and IY for Y is an opportunity for young people to see their own value and importance”.
Mr Talo continued: “Our stakeholders are putting together their resources to empower, educate and inspire young people for them to become responsible and active citizens.
“It is also a day for commemorating the achievements of young people and recognising their work.
“As a Solomon Islands youth advocate, I want to see that the government of the day is be focussing on youth development when it goes into developing public policy.
“The youth stakeholders are open and willing to support government to achieve its goals.
“One of the priorities that government is looking at is peace and reconciliation.
“Youth should be considered and nurtured in this process, to build a united Solomon Islands.
“Other priority areas are youth mainstreaming and youth economics and youth in decision making. We must look at these.”
Eddie Onisitolo, Director of the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children's Affairs, said the International Year of Youth gives recognition to young people.
“It is important as I see it, because young people are marginalised and are looked down upon on every level,” Mr Onisitolo said.
“Once we put young people at the forefront of our thinking, everyone else in the community will realise that young people are recognised by the United Nations.
“That will help shift community attitudes.
“International Year of Youth helps bring up the issues of young people. The theme this year is dialogue and mutual understanding.
“The Ministry sees this as a great opportunity for stakeholders and government to come to terms with the issues affecting young people.”
International Youth Day is being organised by the Honiara City Council, with support from the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children's Affairs, Commonwealth Youth Programme South Pacific (CYPSP), UNESCO and YWCA.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|




