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International Day of Youth Solidarity Commemorated in Kiev
Written by Mykhailo Ilyin, Secretary General, UPF-Ukraine
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Kiev, Ukraine - A seminar commemorating the International Day of Youth Solidarity was held on April 24, 2014. This international day was established by the World Federation of Democratic Youth in order to focus attention of media, government and society on problems of young generation.
Representatives of governmental bodies, scholars, social activists, youth and students at universities and colleges in Kiev took part in the event. The head of the Kiev Family House, Galyna Kozlova, opened the event and greeted all participants, especially youth, on this special day. During the discussion guests learned about the activities of City Social Service and how it helps youth.
Representatives of the International Organization for Migration, a UN agency, talked about problems of human trafficking and main methods of its prevention.
A member of Pedagogical Science Academy, Vasyl Tkachenko, raised the issue of the importance of education for youth. An educated person makes conscious choices, and it is difficult to manipulate such a person. For that reason Mr. Tkachenko encouraged all participants to continue their education throughout their life and always move forward to achieve their dreams.
The head of International public organization “MOZIRON,” Svitlana Vynogradenko, suggested that the youth participants join in volunteer projects and offered her assistance.
The head of UPF-Ukraine, Mykhailo Ilyin, talked about some shortcomings in Ukraine’s youth policy. He noted that regardless of the efforts by government officials to establish youth programs, there is no clear goal concerning what kind of youth the nation wants to have. The lack of a long-term plan means that deputies and government officials cannot work for its implementation in spite of the changes of state power.
He expressed the idea that one of the main directions in youth policy should be to encourage them to consider themselves to be “citizens of Ukraine.”
State and non-governmental organizations should offer the possibility for young people from different regions of the country to identify common values in spite of some cultural differences.
It is also important to stimulate young people to think about the essential characteristics of Ukrainian society, encourage them to take part in the life of their communities, and recognize their role in building Ukraine today and in the future.
Some practical steps to carry out these proposals were presented. For example, joint volunteer projects could bring together youth from different regions of Ukraine. In this way, young people could get acquainted with each other and with the particularities of each region of Ukraine. In such a natural way, misunderstandings and barriers between young people would disappear. An invitation was extended to take part in projects organized by UPF on May 2 and 5.
Mykhailo Ilin expressed his opinion about what kind of country he would like Ukraine to be. It should be united country and a united society based on family values of love, mutual respect and serving society in which all people are governed by one law and are equal before it.
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