International Year of Youth celebration

Tuesday, 22 November 2011 02:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa participated as Chief Guest at a ceremony to commemorate the International Youth Year in Gampaha District on 20 November.

At this ceremony, houses built by the National Youth Services Council and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skill Development were handed over to the recipients by Minister Rajapaksa.

The National Youth Services Council and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skill Development have jointly the organised ‘Thurunu Wasarak – Gamata Niwasak’ programme to provide houses to homeless youth islandwide. Under this project 332 houses have been constructed island wide and cost of the construction would be around Rs. 1 million per one house.

The United Nations last year declared the year beginning from 12 August 2010 as the International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding. The year will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the first International Youth Year in 1985 on the theme Participation,Development, and Peace.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Skill Development Dulles Alahapperuma, Chief Minister of Western Province Prasanna Ranathunaga, MP Ruwan Ranathunaga, MP Namal Rajapaksa and Member of Western Provincial Council Chandana Jayakody also graced the occasion – Pix by Chaminda Hittatiya