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Celebrating International Youth Day 2022
UNDP Sri Lanka launches two programmes calling young innovators to act on climate change
International Youth Day (IYD) advocates for the participation of young people in actioning chang around the world.
To commemorate the significance this year and to provide a platform to young leaders in Sri Lanka, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka launched two new calls for young innovators to act on climate change and conservation in the country; the ‘HackaDev Green Innovation Challenge’ and the ‘Movers4Climate’ programme. The two programmes were launched at the commemorative IYD 2022 webinar and youth-led discussion centred around advocating for Youth Climate Action for a socially inclusive recovery, in collaboration with partners including the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Sri Lanka, Youth Co:Lab co-led by Citi Foundation and UNDP, and Citra Social Innovation Lab.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva, Secretary, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs noted, ” I hope that this collaboration and celebration of International Youth Day alongside all youth in the world will make our task easier at the Ministry. Our youth have also become champions in the commonwealth, and we celebrate their achievements in Sri Lanka. I hope this partnership with the UN will bring about positive results for the youth in the country with equal representation, leaving no youth behind as we strive to create a better future for all.”
Both the ‘HackaDev Green Innovation Challenge’ and the ‘Movers4Climate’ programme were launched through UNDP Sri Lanka’s flagship youth platform ‘HackaDev’.
The former was introduced to crowdsource innovative solutions to build a greener and sustainable economy in Sri Lanka and the latter as part of introducing the regional Asia and Pacific movement to enhance awareness on acting on climate change and broadly on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Sri Lankan context.
The steady decline of climate resilience due to the impact of global warming and related issues has been a cause for concern in many social innovation programmes. In line with this, the ‘HackaDev Green Innovation Challenge’ invites all young women and men in Sri Lanka to address the challenge in achieving the environment-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through designing innovative solutions, whilst creating sustainable social enterprises to contribute toward both the environment and economy of the country.
‘Movers4Climate’ is a climate awareness-raising and skills development programme that equips young people with the tools and skills needed to become effective climate advocates and leaders, working at the national level to influence climate-related decisions. The programme is designed to enhance young global citizenship skills, improve leadership skills and increase future job prospects.
Both programmes are supported by Youth Co:Lab, an initiative co-led by UNDP and the Citi Foundation.
The launch of the two programmes by UNDP Sri Lanka comes from an increased focus on Green Development, and speaking to the key role young people play, Mr. Christophe Bahuet, Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific and Director, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub highlighted that, “Sri Lanka is at crossroads, at which the youth have a crucial role to play and a contribution to make to build a better future for the nation; a future of economic rebound to be filled by young entrepreneurs, innovative economic activities; a future of inclusive governance and social harmony with transparency, accountability and the participation of all, including the youth, and a future of sustainable development for the country and the world.”
The event also created a platform for four young climate champions, who were given centre-stage for their efforts in Youth Climate Action through their organizations- ‘Lassana Kolonnawa Wetland Conservation Youth Network’, ‘Thuru’, ‘Zero Trash’ and ‘Ecohub.lk’. The session which took place in a hybrid format was moderated by Ms. Anuradha Withanachchi, Programme Coordination Associate, Climate and Environment, UNDP in Sri Lanka and saw the participation of close to 100 young people joining virtually to mark the day. While promoting youth-led action, the discussions brought to light the importance of bridging forces between generations in accordance with this year’s International Youth Day theme, ‘Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages’, and to amplify the message that urgent action is needed from all generations to achieve the 2030 Agenda.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
