The International Year of Youth launched

patrick faber

Early this morning on Open Your Eyes, in partnership with UNICEF and the National Committee for Families and Children, the International Year of Youth was launched. By all accounts it was a special moment. Youths from around the country had the opportunity to question the Minister of Youth, Patrick Faber. The questions were loaded and pointed. After the show, the students moved to the Radisson for another activity hosted by Youth for the Future. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

The conversation about youth development has been going on for some time, but did not necessarily directly involve the youths.  Well this morning, International Youth Day was launched and young people from around the country made sure that their voices were heard.  And it doesn’t end today because the next twelve months will be observed as the International Year of Youth.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education & Youth

“The year coincides with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first international Youth Year in 1985 and it hopes to build participation and provide a platform for youths’ voices to be heard around the world.”

Sherlene Tablada, Adolescent Dev. Officer, UNICEF

“It’s about asking ourselves the tough questions, it’s about providing for ourselves a concrete framework for our collective efforts. So we know that there have been things going on for a while but we haven’t really stopped for a long time to assess where we’re going.”

As they finally take charge of the conversation, the youths are honoured to be in the spotlight internationally as the theme says; “Our Year, Our Voice”.

Phaedra Muhammedali

“It means a lot because it actually gives us youths the opportunity to speak out and be heard. We’re speaking all the time but this time they’re really focusing their attention to us. We’re not speaking and just a few people are hearing. Everybody is hearing us because this is being recognized internationally.”

Aisha Pollard

“Personally, I like the idea because a lot of us don’t really get the opportunity to be on the forefront and when we do it’s always in the background. So now we can step up forward without having to be ashamed and having to watch what we say as long as we are respectful about what we’re saying we can do our thing and everybody will be able to see and hear us.”

Ashanti Garcia,

ashanti garcia

“We’ve been finally given a platform to participate because I think beforehand we were placed in the backburner, we’re young people, our opinions don’t really matter because we’re young. But now a voice, now you have a whole year to voice your issues and be listened to and you can actually be a part of the solution.”

Minister of Education and Youth, Patrick Faber, proclaimed his commitment to the country’s young people in the coming year and beyond. And he made a bold commitment.

Patrick Faber

“We’ll see the implementation of a youth commission and a youth council and the youth policy. That is not just talk, we’re very serious about getting these things going, we’re very serious about lobbying for a larger portion of the national budget to go for the work of youth in this country. I’ve heard you loud and clear and I am supporting you. If that puts me in trouble then so be it. But we need a larger chunk of the budget.”

The youths present at today’s launch already had ideas of the issues they want to focus on.

Phaedra Muhammedali,

“I really would like for more youths to be incorporated into these decision making processes and the whole planning because we only have a few and I really believe that more youths can be a part of it.”

Ashanti Garcia,

“I would like to see more male participation. I know there was a segment on OYE that sort of dealt with that because a lot of the crime and violence, it involves males and I think that if we can systematically involved them more in positive things then a lot of the crime and violence will stop.”

Dylan Williams, CARICOM Youth Ambassador

“How is it that we pass on our country to young people that have not been groomed. How is it that we expect our young people to lead if we do not prepare them to lead. How is it that we expect young people to be the drivers for change if we don’t teach them how to drive.”

CARICOM Youth Ambassador Dylan Williams ended his address referring to a quote fitting for the occasion. Former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan once said; “A society that cuts itself off from its youth severs its lifeline; it is condemned to bleed to death.” Delahnie Bain for News Five.

The theme for today was Dialogue and Mutual Understanding.