The six-day second South Asian Youth Conference (SAYC), aiming at peace across the border, education for all and sustainable development, will start here on Monday. Around 120 young delegates from eight Saarc countries are participating in the conference, which will be inaugurated by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira.
"The conference can prove to be a positive turning point for South Asia since it will empower the youth, who are prime asset of the region," SAYC Director Naseem Khan Achakzai told a press conference here on Saturday. He said that by utilising the youth potential properly, a new change and revolution could be brought in the region.
He said the SAYC came into being when a group of South Asian youth gathered for the fifth World Youth Congress in Turkey. The first conference was held in Bangalore (India) last year, in which every Saarc country was represented. It became synonymous with its theme of peace, he added. Achakzai said 120 delegates, including 35 from Pakistan, would take part in the conference, which would also help promote soft image of the country across the world.
He said SAYC 2012 was primarily lead by HILA (formerly Juvenile Dignitaries Organisation), whose sole purpose was get the youth united at a platform, which channelised their young minds and energies positively towards solving the issues. Achakzai said the important objectives of HILA were also the prime objectives the SAYC 2012.ie, education, youth empowerment and environment.
He also appreciated the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for supporting the conference. President of the Peace Child International David R Woolecombe congratulated the young people of Pakistan, especially HILA, for hosting the second SAYC on the themes of verse; peace, education and sustainable development. He said today the world was looking toward the youth for leadership in the efforts for more sustainable, green, resource efficient societies.