1 October 2022 06:00 am Views - 598
In the quest of identifying, nurturing and grooming young talented Sri Lankan’s, and celebrating their contribution to the nation, the Women in Management New Generation Chapter in collaboration with the Sri Lanka National Youth Services Council announced the date for the third New Generation Awards 2022. The prestigious event is scheduled to be held on the 31st of October 2022 at the Galadari Colombo.
“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build the youth for the future,” Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Committee Member, Tamara Perera stated, “Youth play an important role in the economic and political development of Sri Lanka. The dominance of elderly folk in traditional society, economy and in politics is one of the primary factors that keep youth largely inactive and also the reason young people look to green pastures overseas. Youth account to almost a quarter of Sri Lanka’s population. At present there are approximately, 4.64 million youth in the country, which means 23.2 percent of the population are youth. Hence, harnessing the power of youth in Sri Lanka in a sustainable development process will provide inconceivable outcome in the long run. Overseas migration for work or study, seems a popular option for Sri Lankan youth.
Central Bank data shows that in 2019 the age group 25-29 recorded the highest number of departures abroad for skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled employment. This age group also recorded the second-highest number of departures for professional, middle, and clerical level jobs. UNESCO’s Eurostat data collection on education for 2020 states that the total number of Sri Lankan students overseas is 24,118. A significant segment of the youth population seem dissatisfied with the available opportunities and choices within Sri Lanka. The above numbers reflect their lack of faith in a better and safer society in the years to come. We need to shift this perception and encourage more of our youth to stay on in Sri Lanka and help them grow locally.”
Dr. Sulochana Segera, Founder, Women in Management and the New Generation Awards stated, “the recent queues at the passport office and the lengthy queues for walk-in interviews by a global airline are all indicators of how frustrated the youth are with the country. They are desperate for real system change, but instead they are manipulated and coerced in to joining in on political campaigns for the benefit of a few, when in reality these young people should instead be mentored and encouraged to join the work force, start their own businesses and participate in growing our economy. We should be preparing them for their future, not robbing them of it.
The government announced the extension of the retirement age, once again ignoring the plight of unemployed youth. We cannot continue to ignore this situation we have to act now and encourage our youth to stay on in our shores. Recently, I noticed the government has launched a separate immigration counter at the airport to assist our migrant workers. I applaud this initiative as our migrant workers have faced ample discrimination over the years albeit being the highest foreign income earners in the country. However, what irked me was the fact that this counter was called the ‘Hope Gate.’ It's as if we are telling are citizens who opt to leave the country, please go as there is no ‘hope’ in the country. As Sri Lankan’s we have always been resilient, we will always continue to swim and not drown, this is the confidence we need to keep instilling in our youth. Sri Lanka Can.”
The WIM NG Awards Chairperson, Dr. Thushari Koralage stated, “I am a strong supporter of the view that schools are where dreams come true, where we build the next generation of leaders and the place where we create responsible and ethical citizens. Empowering the youth isn’t merely a buzz word, in Sri Lankan contexts it is a concept that should be actioned out. Schools are the places where we can pave the path for youth empowerment by helping students learn and practice skills needed in the 21st century.”
Prof. (Dr.) Ravi Dissanayake, Chairperson of the Judging Panel stated, “we as judges do follow an authentic and outcome-driven evaluation for the applicants to ensure how they would make an impact ahead on the winning title rather evaluating a mere set of information. The diversified expertise available in the panel of judges is one of the key strengths featured in the overall judging process to gage holistic perspectives of the applicants in line with the given set of criterions. Our decision in recognizing the excellence of the youth will rely on consistent, dynamic and transparent mechanism to honor the best who bring the future change we need as a nation.”
Rashitha Delopala, Director Technical and Vocation Training, National Youth Services Council stated, “the youth play a great role in nation-building. It has the power to help a country develop and move towards lasting progress. The youth of a country determine the future of a nation.” Kasun Sigera, Chairperson of the New Generation Chapter stated, “We envision a future where New Generation (NGSL) will connect and empower deserving youth to up-skill themselves and conquer global opportunities. We hope to empower them so they may lead with empathy and intelligence beyond borders.”
Panel of judges for 2022 include, Prof. Ravi Dissanayake, Head Department of Marketing Management, the Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Mr. Rashitha Delapola, Director Technical and Vocation Training, National Youth Service Council, Ms. Sandra De Zoysa, Group Chief Customer Officer Dialog Axiata PLC, Dr. Nirmal De Silva, Strategy Consultant, Entrepreneur, Youth Empowerment Advocate and Associate Professor in Business Management. Ms. Zahara Ansary, Country Manager CIMA Sri Lanka, Ms. Lihini Fernando, Co-Founder and Partner Velox Legal, Attorney-at-Law, Council Member Moratuwa Municipal Council and Dr. Thilina Wanigasekera, Director Organizational Development, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka.