Some Reflection on World Conference on Youth 2014

In Sri Lanka
I received information about World Conference on Youth 2014 from International Movement of Catholic
Students -MIEC grou through a social media and also from m! colleague in International Young
Christian Students "sia team and alied to articiate in the event# $n %
th
"ril 2014& I received an
email from International Youth 'as( )orce about accetance of m! alication and invitation to *oin this
conference in Colombo %
th
+ 10
th
Ma! 2014#
"fter some formalities of filling u forms etc& ,ith the International Youth 'as( )orce and WCY2014
secretariat& finall! I received m! free visa& free air tic(et -round tri. and detail information about free
accommodation in Colombo during the conference# It ,as a tough decision for me to *oin this
conference& because from discussion b! the concerned grous and sharing b! friends and net,or(s& all
leads to one assumtion that this conference is an attemt to /,hite ,ash0 the human rights violation in
Sri 1an(a b! the government 'his assumtion became much stronger seciall! after one of the 2a3
4omana members got arrested and have to endure mandator! reort and restriction of his social rights
because of his ,or( and engagement as human rights defender in Sri 1an(a# "fter long discussion
,ith Chalains and some members of 2a3 4omana& I decided to go thin(ing that this conference is an
oortunit! for IMCS "2 to raise and share ,ith other !oung eole around the ,orld about social
*ustice and human rights roblem that haen in "sia 2acific region& and also an oortunit! to meet&
discuss and see the real roblems that our friends in IMCS Sri 1an(a facing and discuss ,ith them
ersonall!# #
"s I arrived in 5andaranai(e International "irort Colombo& I could sa, that ever!thing ,as seriousl!
reared and the conference ,as one of the main events of Sri 1an(a government# Ever!thing ,as
secial for WCY 2014 delegates& secial immigration bo3 and lines& secial ,elcome ,ith blue lotus
flo,ers from Sri 1an(an !outh& also secial bus and lane along high,a! road from airort to each hotels
that reared for delegates# "ll hotels that reared for around 1600 !oung eole from all over the
,orld are best hotels in Colombo# $n Ma! 6
th
night& after re-conference meeting& all delegates ,ere
brought to the best broadcast studio in Sri 1an(a for cultural erformance for the ,elcome night b! Sri
1an(an Youth# In the ne3t da!& all delegates have to travel around 6 hours from Colombo to
7ambantota -hometo,n of Sri 1an(a 2resident. ,ith secial securit! rotection from olice& even some
arts of high,a! ,as closed& *ust for oening of the ceremon!# 'his ,as continued ,ith evening art!
in 7ambantota beach side oosite to one Catholic convent#
'he schedule of the conference starting from beginning till end ,as 8uite hectic and didn9t have much
time to assess the situation around the countr!# 5esides there ,ere night tours arranged b! the
organi:ers ,ith secial guards of olice ,ho al,a!s accomanied the grou indoors and outdoors#
'he main theme ,as ; /Mainstreaming Youth in the Post201! "e#elo$ment %genda& ' <uring the
conference the delegates discussed and tal(ed about some foundations and themes& ,here delegates
,ere divided into seven grous according to their choices for themes and foundations# 'he seven
foundations ,ere; "chieving =ood =overnance and "ccountabilit!& Inclusive Youth 2articiation at "ll
1evels& Youth 4ights& =lobali:ation> Inclusive Youth-1ed <eveloment& Ending S!stemic Ine8ualities&
=ender E8ualit!& Emo,ering Marginali:ed Youth Including Most at 4is( Young 2eole# "nd the
themes ,ere ; 4eali:ing E8ual "ccess to ?ualit! Education@ )ull Emlo!ment and Entrereneurshi@
2overt! Eradication and )ood Securit!@ 2romoting 7ealth! 1ives and "ccess to 7ealth@Environmental
Sustainabilit!& <isaster 4is( 4eduction and Youth Centred Arbani:ation@ 4eali:ing 2eace&
4econciliation and Ending Biolence@ Ensuring Inclusive 4ecreation& Sorts and Cultures#
"art from the discussion in the )oundation& 'hematic grous there ,ere also side events ,hich ,as
organi:ed b! some international organi:ations and C=$s# I m!self ,as in the =lobali:ation>Inclusive
Youth-1ed <eveloment for foundations& and 4eali:ing 2eace& 4econciliation and Ending Biolence for
themes#
We ,ere also divided into some grous in evening time accorded to our region for regional meeting& but
not man! !oung eole en*o!ed to discuss after (no,ing that fact that some oints ,ere alread! in :ero
draft of Colombo <eclaration& and some facilitator ,ere tried to directed the course of discussion
accordance ,ith the draft#
"ccording to information from some friends outside of WCY 2014& there ,ere also rotests against the
WCY since Ma! D
th
& b! the universit! students in and around Colombo regarding education s!stem in
Sri 1an(a# It ,as ironic ,hen !oung eole from all over the ,orld come to Sri 1an(a to discuss about
social roblems in the ,orld& in Sri 1an(a students ,ere arrested and imrisoned for their rotest#
5! hosting this WCY& Sri 1an(a government could be assessed 8uietl! successful as host of this
conference& and the delegates could also than(ing and areciating for the efforts and hard ,or( of
International Youth 'as( )orce for this conference# $ne of observation during the conference that there
,ere not much accetance of the inut and ideas given b! !oung eole during the conference to
included in Colombo declaration& and not all !oung eole satisfied ,ith the result of the conference& but
,e have to admit also this is a for,ard ste for !oung eole#
5ut ,e can not turn a blind e!e and not care about the oenl! and massive efforts of Sri 1an(a
government during conference to have a clean chit of their name from international allegations
regarding human rights violation during and after the civil ,ar and some ho, the !oung eole ,ere
used as a medium for this& and in this case ,e the delegates of the WYC&& 5ecause ,e ,ere the
ambassadors of our o,n countries and each of our organi:ations& and the Sri 1an(an government
tr!ing to send the message to the ,orld and to international communit!& that currentl! Sri 1an(a9s
situation is stable& eaceful and no evidence of violence and human rights abuses# Which is not true&
as a fact of matter & until no, man! eole are still missing and families are still ,aiting for their
members to come bac(# "nd not to forget there are man! eole ,ho are still struggling for freedom of
seech & safet! and securit!& 'he !oung eole eseciall! students in universit! ,ho are struggling for
their rights for education and future rosects# 7oefull! the realities of the countries ,as not hidden
,ith the beaut! and lu3ur! sho,n b! the Sri 1an(an government during the WYC#
By: Ms. Felicia Dian Ravenska Parera
Regional Coordinator IMCS Asia Pacific
Moderator Easy et !"#$%&"#$%'