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Today marks the closing of the International Year of Youth and sadly no major advancements for youth took place in Jamaica over this time period. To date not many Jamaican youth are even aware that the past year was officially recognized and highlighted by the United Nations as the International Year of Youth. Further to this there was no national/officially organized event to highlight the important of this day to the young people of my country and the youth of the world :(
Today as I join the rest of the world in celebrating and acknowledging the role of young people in making our global community a better place it is my deepest desire that the leaders of my country will begin to invest more wholeheartedly in our youth. As I look at the issues highlight in the recently published Jamaica National Youth Survey 2010 which included among other things a need for education and training for our young people as well as the need for sexuality education and family planning services I realize that we are a far way from where we need to be as it related to youth and sustainable development. The theme for International Youth Day 2011 “Change our world” is particularly important to me because I want to see REAL CHANGE not just more statements and messages but actions, implementation. I want to see meaningful youth engagement and active demonstration of consistent youth involvement in decision making processes.
Today the 12th day of August I have decided to use the harsh realities of my country as motivation to continue my work as a youth advocate, and not be discouraged. As I stated in my very first facebook post of the day “The world needs youths, our ideas and our voice, the difference between the world of today and our world tomorrow rests with us, the young people! (Excerpt from the 2011 International Youth Day message of the Pan Commonwealth Youth Caucus)”
Together WE can create the change we want to see in the world!!!
One Love.
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