India to Host First Commonwealth Youth and Sports Congress

Sport has a great role to play in empowering young people and developing friendships.

India will host the first Commonwealth Youth and Sports Congress in Gurgaon in 2007. To plan for the event, a preparatory meeting of delegates from the Commonwealth Secretariat's Youth Affairs Division, the International Cricket Council and the Commonwealth Youth Sports Development Council (CYSDC) was held at the Secretariat's headquarters in London, UK, on 28 July 2005.

The Congress will see young people from the Commonwealth coming together to take part in sporting and cultural activities. Lectures on Commonwealth values and educational programmes covering HIV/AIDS awareness, gender equality, leadership, as well as environmental and global issues, will also be incorporated in the activities. The meeting will also provide a platform for the exchange of cultures, through talent shows and cultural performances by young people from across the Commonwealth.

Andrew Simmons, Deputy Director of Youth Affairs at the Secretariat, stated: "The Commonwealth Youth Sports Development Council is doing excellent work in sports and the Secretariat is pleased to offer technical support and advice to help make the event a great success."

Mr Simmons said the Commonwealth Youth Programme -- which is managed by the Youth Affairs Division -- uses sport as a development tool, and that the Secretariat provides the technical advice and training to organisations wanting to develop a curriculum to address issues relating to youth.

"The CYSDC has provided us with an opportunity to strengthen our work with civil society as we will also be working in tandem with other sporting organisations involved in the planning of the Congress."

Malcolm Speed, Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council, who also attended the preparatory meeting, noted that sport has a great role to play in empowering young people and developing friendships. "We are happy to continue to work with any body that seeks to use sport as a positive vehicle to solve some of the problems the world faces."

Vikram Kaul, President of the CYSDC, said: "I am happy to know that the Secretariat will be able to give us the support we need in terms of direction to help develop programmes incorporating sport-related activities to help young people."

 

CNIS - Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 246, 3 August 2005

Key Links:

• Commonwealth Youth Programme