UK (Commonwealth Union)_ According to the organizers of the Asian regional summit, the pivotal gathering aimed at empowering young leaders across Asia is set to redefine youth engagement and collaboration in the region. The summit, a milestone event for youth leadership, also seeks to encourage and enhance the involvement, participation, and cooperation among young leaders in Asia. Accordingly, the insights, challenges, and opportunities identified by these young leaders will serve as the foundation for recommendations to be presented to leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) slated to take place in Samoa in October 2024.
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The Asia Regional Youth Leadership Summit & Senior Officials Meeting will convene youth leaders across Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Singapore. Organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with the British Council and the Commonwealth Youth Council, the event will unfold this week in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Asia region boasts one of the Commonwealth’s largest youth populations, wielding significant influence within the collective voice of 1.5 million young individuals across the 56 member nations. During the summit, participants will have the opportunity to exchange experiences, confront challenges, share ideas, and bolster their leadership capacities.
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Accordingly, Kim Allen, Chair of the Commonwealth Youth Council, lauded this initiative as a means to equip young people with skills and amplify their voices. According to Allen, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Council have long championed the institutional development of youth-led organizations and networks. Hence, integrating youth perspectives into institutional, policy, and development frameworks is crucial for meaningful engagement. He further added that this regional summit will provide a platform for youth leaders to share strategies for effecting change at national and community levels, thereby encouraging them to catalyze positive transformations in their respective countries. Notably, this experience will furnish them with invaluable skills and a robust network yielding enduring benefits.
Discussions at the summit will revolve around the fundamental principles guiding youth development and engagement within the Commonwealth. Additionally, participants will establish a Commonwealth Asia Regional Youth Platform to promote regional advocacy, engagement, and cross-cultural learning. Simultaneously, senior government officials and focal points from youth ministries throughout the Asia region will also meet up to assess progress on mandates defined in the outcome statement from the 10th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting and the Marlborough House Commitments. They will also provide assistance as well as be involved in the establishment of the Commonwealth Asia Regional Youth Platform.
Sushil Ram, Youth Development Adviser for the Commonwealth Secretariat, emphasized the necessity and timeliness of the meeting. According to him, despite strides in promoting youth participation, Asian youth confront a dynamic and fast-changing landscape. From their perspective, new opportunities prevail but with significant challenges that are exacerbated by the persistent impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors contribute to limited access to employment opportunities, avenues for self-empowerment, involvement in formal decision-making processes, and influence over policy. He further added that their perspectives are thus invaluable as the mission furnishes leaders with pertinent insights to navigate the Commonwealth’s trajectory. With the Commonwealth Youth Forum slated for October 2024 in Samoa alongside CHOGM, it is imperative to glean insights from youth and present them to heads of government and other stakeholders.
Furthermore, youth leaders will together draft an outcome document comprising important recommendations addressing the issues and challenges encountered by young individuals in Asia. This document will be presented at the Commonwealth Youth Forum. Further, the Asian summit highlights the major role of young people in promoting peace, democracy, and development within the Commonwealth. Amidst the Commonwealth Year of Youth, there has been a reinforced emphasis on youth-led initiatives for sustainable and inclusive development. For more than five decades, the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) has been entrusted with ensuring that the needs of young people remain central to development programs at the Secretariat and are kept in sharp focus by member governments.
