Sri Lanka participates at International Volunteer Forum in Russia

Nine members of the delegation from Sri Lanka visited Russia to participate at the International Volunteer Forum, which was held on 2-5 December, in Moscow.

Sergey Kiriyenko, the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia, addressed around 15,000 participants from over 120 countries, gathered at the Forum’s venue, with his welcome speech on 3 December, after they had spent the first day visiting charity foundations, social and non-profit organisations.

On 5 December, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Anton Korotchenko, a medical student from Russia, with the Volunteer of the Year Award for his ‘Healthy Village’ Project.

The Forum provided a good venue for the Sri Lankan delegation to interact with other youth organisations’ leaders, and to exchange their experience; it has also helped to establish new relationships with volunteers and youth leaders from all over the world.

During the Forum, Sri Lankan participants held discussions with the Malaysian Deputy Chairman of Youth Affairs and a Member of Parliament from Pakistan on matters related to the career guidance and other youth policy projects.

Members of the Sri Lankan delegation also met with Gregory Petushkov, the Head of the National Youth Council of Russia, on 6 December, to discuss the opportunities for closer cooperation and partnership between the youth organisations of the two countries. In the course of their discussion, the delegation suggested to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Youth Councils of the two countries.

The Sri Lankan delegation enjoyed a dinner hosted by the officials of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow, which was also attended by Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka and Sanja Jayatilleka.

The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, accompanied by Sanja Jayatilleka, had a warm and open dialogue with the youth leaders from Sri Lanka, who are representing the force which will define the country’s future.