The New Nation - Internet Edition

The youths of SAARC countries can play a vital role in the development of their respective countries and of the region as a whole. Their determined efforts to bring changes to society can have a positive impact on the progress and prosperity of their countries. While inaugurating the First SAARC Youth Camp 2007 at Savar on the outskirts of the capital city, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh the other day called upon the young men and women from South Asian countries to join development activities of the region. Representatives from Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the host country took part in the camp.

This was the first camp of the kind. It was organised with a view to 'Connecting South Asian Youths’. Through this camp, the participants got chances, first of all, to know each other and establish contacts among themselves. They will be able to initiate a process of acquiring knowledge about historical and cultural diversities, and at the same time, unity of the nations of this region. They got ample opportunity to exchange views on different subjects. The meet is expected to widen the mental horizon of the participants.

The camp also aimed at developing leadership qualities among the youths of the region. The young generation represents the future of a nation. Today’s youths will lead the future course of a country. The development of a country depends much on what role the youths will play. Their active roles in development works will help them understand the processes of development of a nation. Such kind of first-hand knowledge will enable them to give leadership to development activities in their respective countries.

Forward march on the road to prosperity of a nation depends on initiatives and determined efforts made by its younger generation to a great extent. The efforts to bring changes to society can only have positive impacts on the overall development of a country. The countries of the South Asian region face a host of problems including unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, inadequate healthcare services, spread of HIV/AIDS and drug addiction. These common problems call for concerted efforts for effective solution. Common fight against such problems,it is hoped, will broaden the horizon of this knowledge and outlook and, at the same time, inspire them to be concerned with matters of common interests of the people of the region.

It is hoped that such youth camps will have positive impacts on the material and spiritual development of the future leaders who would be able to carry forward and implement the ideals and spirit underlying the formation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.