10 January 2025 12:11 am Views - 30
By Nuzla Rizkiya
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka wrapped up the Youth Co:Lab National Youth Dialogue for 2024 yesterday , urging authorities to adopt policies that make youth entrepreneurship a key part of Sri Lanka’s sustainable future.
Convening more than 100 young leaders, policymakers and entrepreneurs, the event highlighted the urgent need to address pressing issues impacting young people such as the significant barriers they face in the startup ecosystem.
Held under the theme ‘Leadership, Innovation and Entrepreneurship’, the flagship annual consultation organised by the UNDP and Citi Foundation, provided a platform for the young innovators to discuss pressing issues such as climate change and the rising youth unemployment in the country.
Reflecting on the outcomes of this year’s dialogue, UNDP Officer-In-Charge Malin Herwig shared that the UN remains committed to help Sri Lanka harness the transformative potential of its youth to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
“Together with the Government of Sri Lanka and our partners, we remain committed to fostering an inclusive ecosystem where the energy, creativity, and determination of our youth can shape a resilient and prosperous future for all,” Herwig said.
Reiterating her sentiments at the event, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri emphasised that empowerment of youth as drivers of economic change is an imperative need for Sri Lanka.
“This is not merely a desirable aspiration. We, as policymakers, corporate leaders and development partners, bear the responsibility to act,” Saputhanthri stressed.
The Youth Co:Lab is one of the largest initiatives for the youth in Asia and the Pacific focusing on empowerment, social entrepreneurship, equality and inclusion.
Sri Lanka’s National Youth Dialogue is part of an annual series held in over 20 countries to recognise efforts aimed at improving leadership, innovation and entrepreneurial skills of young people.