Youth Minister for Synergized Efforts Between Government & NGOs

Opening a discourse on "Change Your World," the global theme for International Youth Day 2011, on Friday, he said the Sindh Department of Youth Affairs is committed to provide opportunities to youth across the province.

The programme jointly organized by Sindh Youth Affairs Department and Habib University Foundation (HUF) was attended by 300 youth from Karachi.

It provided them with an opportunity to come together and learn about community service and how they can factor as change makers of the society.

Sindh Minister for Youth Affairs lauded the efforts of Habib University Foundation for providing opportunities to youth through their projects iLEAD, INSPYRE and YES.

He also referred to initiatives taken by the Department for the youth of Sindh. Shoaib Siddiqui, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Sindh, also addressed the audience.

The second session of the event comprised interactive sessions including lively group discussions and activities.

An orientation on how community service can initiate desired change set the premise for the discussion tilted "Community Service - First Step to Change the World."

Representatives from HUF shared with youth the close relationship between individual effort and its resultant change, and showcased inspirational videos to motivate them to participate in community service projects.

The presentation noted that in case opportunities for community service are lacking, youth must take action to initiate such projects for themselves and their peers.

During this session, youth activities shared their experiences and success stories to mobilize youth energy.

The participants felt that society as a whole needed to play a more responsive and responsible role towards the idea of community service, and that it should be integrated into the curriculum.

During the feedback session, youth reflected on their discussions and concluded that little community efforts can go a long way in making a huge difference.

Guest speaker Sabeen Mahmud, Director Peace Niche/T2F, discussed the important role technology can play in promoting and seeking support for community service initiatives.

She highlighted that social media is a powerful tool for instigating efforts in this area. The audience largely comprised of students from several institutes and colleges across Karachi. Civil society members and numerous individuals from the education sector were also present at the event.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011