A delegation from theSri Lanka Youth Council visited Geneva, Switzerland from 24-27 April 2014 as a part of a promotional campaign titled “Round the World in 40 Days” of the World Conference on Youth (WCY 2014) which is scheduled to be held from  6th – 10th May 2014 at the BMICH in Colombo. The Delegation was headed by Mr. Saman Abeywardena, Assistant Director of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development, and included Mr. R.A.S. Kumara, GeneralSecretary, Sri Lanka Federation of Youth Clubs, Mr. A. Thevarajah, Member of National Federation, Sri Lanka Federation of Youth Clubs and Mr. T.Y.Kamalsiri , General Manager (Sirasa TV), Mr. I.R.M. Angello, Program Producer (MTV).

Welcoming the Youth Council Delegation at a promotional event organized at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva on 25th April 2014, Ms. Manisha Gunasekera, Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva said, “Sri Lanka is hosting the WCY at an opportune moment when the country is in the process of consolidating peace and reconciliation, having emerged from a nearly 30 year brutal terrorist conflict where generations of young people from all communities, especially the North and the East, suffered heavily”. She noted that “Sri Lanka has made significant progress in reintegrating its youth in the development process since the end of the conflict despite challenges” and shared statistical details on the high performance of the students of the Northern and Eastern Provinces in the A/L examination which further proved this phenomenon.

The invitees at the event included the Ven. Halyale Wimalarathana Thero, Ms. Barbara Fontana, First Secretary, Deputy Head of the Human Rights Section of the Swiss Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Mr. Surein Pieris, President of the Sri Lanka Association in Geneva (SLAG) and members of SLAG, students from the Graduate Institute of Geneva and the University of Geneva and Representatives from Youth Associations in Geneva.

At the event, a video presentation was made on the WCY 2014 to be held in Colombo where information was shared with regard to the preparations to the WCY 2014.

The Youth Council Delegation also visited the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and met Ms. Geri Lau, Head of Youth Action and Volunteering Development who shared information with regard to the Youth Volunteering Programme and the position of IFRC in the international negotiations with regard to the post 2015 Development Agenda, which is the theme of the WCY 2014. On 26th April 2014, the Youth Council Delegation visited the Museum of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and CERN Globe Exhibition.