Steering Committee on Holding Youth Peace Forum holds coord meeting

THE coordination meeting of the Steering Committee on Holding Youth Peace Forum was held in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

It was attended by Union Minister Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, who is also Chairman of the committee, Union Minister for Information U Maung Maung Ohn, who is the Committee Vice-Chair, National Solidarity and Peacemaking Ne­gotiation Committee (NSPNC) Secretary Lt-Gen Min Naing, committee members, deputy ministers, and permanent sec­retaries, while social affairs min­isters from regions and states joined via videoconferencing.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister Lt-Gen Yar Pyae said the event will be held in a for­mat where young people who are interested in peace can gather and participate in discussions. Arrangements are being made to collect diverse voices of youths, and working committees have also been formed to carry out the necessary tasks for the forum. He then urged the respective committee members to discuss in detail their respective respon­sibilities.

Secretary Lt-Gen Min Naing briefed on the proper arrange­ments for the forum, selection of youth representatives by the regions’ and states’ social affairs ministers, preparations and ongo­ing work plans.

Deputy ministers, Nay Pyi Taw Council members, perma­nent secretaries, directors-gen­eral, and regional and state social affairs ministers discussed sec­toral tasks, after which Commit­tee Vice-Chair U Maung Maung Ohn discussed the role of youths and peace, efforts of governments for peace, current progress in the country and the role of the youth sector.

The chairman of the steering committee delivered a conclud­ing speech and adjourned the meeting.

The Youth Peace Forum is to be held to highlight the im­portance of youths’ efforts to peace and community stability, find solutions for issues relevant to all citizens and attitude, and create opportunities for youths in a positive environment, support cooperation and communication among peaceful communities, identify practical role of youth in the post-election period, strength­en youths’ capacities in dialogue, mediation and responsible con­nection, generate recommenda­tions of youths that can support for formulation of long-term peace, reconciliation and future social development plans, and draft a youth policy paper for fu­ture nation-building by compiling recommendations that emerge from the Youth Peace Forum.

For the forum, arrange­ments are being made to invite representatives from selected ministries, young experts from various fields, youth represent­atives from regions and states, youths with disabilities, volunteer youths from community-based organizations, youths from social welfare organizations and NGO youth networks, ethnic youths from border areas, and youths from IDP camps. Youth repre­sentatives from various groups aged between 18 and 35 years are being invited to participate. — MNA/KTZH