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Catholic youths to discuss quota

CUTTACK: Granting of Scheduled Caste (SC) status to dalit Christians in India would be discussed at the four-day national youth convention that began here on Monday. Union Minister for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandez who is scheduled to address a peace rally on the occasion on Thursday is also likely to speak on the contentious issue.

"Apart from the burning issue of reservation for Christians, the convention organised by Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) will also discuss human rights, gender sensitisation, women’s rights, female foeticide and child labour", said chairman of the local organising committee Raphael Cheenath, SVD who is also Archbishop of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

At least 1500 youth delegates and animators from 160 diocesan units of 12 regions across the country are participating in the seventh triennial convention here on Cambridge School campus. This for the first time that the triennial convention of ICYM is being held in Orissa, organisers said.

Besides delegates, many religious leaders of the community including ICYM national chairman archbishop Leo Cornelio SVD are attending the convention.

The delegates would take out a peace rally in the city on Thursday.

The convention is being held on the theme "Prophetic Youth for a Progressive nation" in order to involve the youths for building a progressive nation, said Issac Behera, the president of Union of Dalit Christian Movement of Orissa.

The convention would also hold various interactive sessions on ’Youth Hope of the family’, ’Adolescent Life Skills’ and ’Youth and HIV/AIDS’.

"The convention aims at promoting youth exchange and understanding of various cultures of the country", the organisers said.

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