The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : `Ship of World Youth' is here

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 01, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Ship of World Youth' is here

S.R.Ashok Kumar

Vessel's mission is to further the spirit of international co-operation

CHENNAI: It certainly looked a very mixed crowd. More than 250 young men and women from different counties were moving freely interacting with the city youths at a function held here on Monday.

These youth had walked down the gangplank of "Nippon Maru"— a ship that docked at the Chennai port on Monday with nearly 120 Japanese and around 150 youths from 12 other countries. They are part of a World Youth Programme.

The Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), an organisation funded by the Centre, gave them a traditional Indian welcome.

Director of RGNIYD, Gnana Rajasekaran, said that they were happy to be the official host on behalf of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government India. "Youths from Japan, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Hellenic Republic, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Sweden, Tonga and United Arab Emirates are participating in the programme. Also, There are 10 youth delegates from India. The purpose of the "Ship of World Youth" is to broaden the global view of the Japanese youths to promote mutual understanding and friendship between Japanese and foreign youths as well as to cultivate the spirit of international co-operation and the competence to practice it. Furthermore, it is to foster the youths with capability of showing leadership in various areas."

The delegates had a busy schedule chalked out by the RGNIYD located in the city out skirts at Sriperumbudur. They interacted with experts and Indian students from leading colleges in Chennai on various topics like education volunteerism, United Nations, Environment, Youth Development and economy. The foreign delegates also got a glimpse of the Indian rural life by visiting 10 villages in and around Sriperumbudur. This exposed them on various rural developmental initiatives undertaken by the Government and the role of panchayats. In the evening the Japanese Consulate hosted a dinner to the delegates in their ship, which was attended by the elite of the city. Barnala greets delegates

Governor Surjit Singh Barnala greeted the delegates of the ship, who called on him at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.

He also stressed the need for strengthening unity among people.

A Raj Bhavan release said here that Mr. Barnala had told the delegates that Chennai "is an IT hub and an important centre for health care with super speciality hospitals. More and more IT, bio-tech and pharmaceuticals are coming up very fast."

Secretary to Governor, C.K. Gariyali, and Coordinator of the RGNIYD, Vasanthi Rajendran were present at the meeting, the release added.

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