The Y20 Summit, an annual gathering of young leaders from G20 countries, intends to create a forum for youth-led discussions on global issues and offers recommendations to world leaders. India’s delegation this year is notably prominent, with young delegates representing the country’s diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Their enthusiastic involvement and engagement at numerous Y20 Summits not only demonstrate their passion but also reflects India’s dedication to inclusivity and empowering its youth.
These summits have seen a vibrant and exciting demonstration of India’s youth’s potential and determination. As the country’s largest demographic group, the young minds of India have emerged as change agents, pushing for their rights, altering legislation, and driving innovation in various industries. Their ideas and views have taken centre stage at the international forum, representing India’s youth vitality and transformational spirit.
In a period of fast change and unprecedented challenges, the importance of young people in moulding the future cannot be understated. Young people’s energy, excitement, and new perspectives are vital assets to any country’s success. Recognizing India’s immense potential, the Y20 has evolved as a dynamic platform fostering the empowerment, representation, and active involvement of young Indians worldwide.
In this article, we investigate the profound significance that the Y20 India movement holds for India’s youth, paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future, as well as how the nation’s youth can take advantage of this opportunity to learn, network and engage with one another and come up with constructive suggestions to build a new society that can have a long-term transformative impact.
This can be accomplished in two ways: 1) by enabling India’s youth to advocate for necessary laws, collaborate with peers from other nations, and so on; and 2) by overcoming multiple challenges such as the urban-rural divide, gender disparities, climate change issues, and so on.
1. Empowering India’s Youth through Y20
a) Policy Advocacy: The Y20 summit provides a forum for Indian youth to voice their issues, express their ideas, and push for policies that address their specific difficulties. Employment, education, skill development, climate change, mental health, and social inclusion are key areas of attention. Indian youth can help shape policies that support their interests and goals by actively engaging in the Y20.
b) Networking and Collaboration: The Y20 provides an opportunity for Indian youth to network and interact with peers from other nations. This interchange of ideas, experiences, and best practices inspire new approaches to shared problems and encourage cross-cultural understanding. By forming networks at the Y20, they can form alliances, get access to global resources, and participate in collaborative initiatives that support their personal and professional development.
c) Youth Entrepreneurship: Promoting entrepreneurship amongst youngsters is critical for economic development and employment creation. The Y20 can help fund activities that encourage entrepreneurial education, financial access, and mentoring programmes, empowering young Indians to be change agents. The Y20 can contribute to harnessing the creative potential of the youth and promoting sustainable development by concentrating on training entrepreneurial skills and establishing an ecosystem favourable to entrepreneurs.
2. Overcoming Challenges
a) Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide: Due to their geographical location, India’s young confront distinct obstacles. Here Y20 can come in and help bridge the urban-rural gap by campaigning for inclusive policies, boosting access to excellent education, healthcare, and technology, and encouraging rural entrepreneurship. The Y20 can guarantee that all Indian youth have equal opportunity for growth and development by addressing discrepancies between urban and rural areas.
b) Addressing Gender imbalances: Gender imbalances remain in numerous domains, restricting India’s youth’s potential. Taking advantage of Y20, they can lobby for gender equality and legislation that promotes equal opportunity for all, regardless of gender. The Y20 can help to create a more inclusive and equitable society where every young person has a fair chance to thrive by concentrating on empowering young women and encouraging their active engagement in numerous areas.
c) Employment and Skills: The Y20 consultations in India provided a forum for addressing the critical problem of young unemployment and underemployment. Young leaders have lobbied for policies that encourage skill development, entrepreneurship, and job creation through these dialogues. The debates have emphasised the need for educational system changes, vocational training, and mentoring programmes to prepare Indian young for a fast-changing employment market.
d) Education and Innovation: The importance of excellent education and innovation for India’s young was emphasised throughout the Y20 dialogues. Young leaders have urged for digital literacy, STEM education, and experiential learning changes. The Y20 dialogues on educational policy have contributed to establishing the global agenda for inclusive and future-ready education systems.
e) Sustainable Development and Climate Action: The Y20 dialogues have given young Indians a forum to actively participate in conversations about sustainable development and climate action. These dialogues have emphasised the need of solving environmental concerns, with a focus on renewable energy, conservation, and climate resilience. Indian youth have fought for sustainable policies and new solutions that safeguard the world for future generations via their engagement.
Making the Most of India’s Young People’s Potential:
The need to empower India’s youth to realise their full potential and contribute to the country’s progress is emphasised in the country’s National Youth Policy. This is why the government has given a lot of money to the Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry, which shows that they really want to make the world a better place for kids. With an emphasis on talent identification, infrastructure development, athlete support, and fostering a sports culture, major initiatives like Khelo India and institutions like the Sports Authority of India have seen an increase in funding.
As stated by Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, “the current youth has the opportunity to move away from the constraints of the past, exploit the opportunities in the present to unleash the potential of our country in the future.”
Empowering marginalised youth and addressing social exclusion
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Castes, and women and girls are just a few of the socially excluded groups that the study focuses on. These marginalised groups frequently experience discrimination, restricted personal development, and restricted access to educational and economic opportunities. The high dropout rates among minimised youth feature the requirement for extra help and intercessions to break the pattern of destitution and rejection.
In order to deal with these issues, a number of programs have been run by the government and organisations that are part of civil society. The goal of fellowship programs, scholarships for higher education, and public-private partnerships is to give young people the tools and knowledge they need to help the country grow and serve the community.
Y20 Kashmir Meet
Recently India organised a Kashmir Y20 Meet. The University of Kashmir hosted international Y20 consultation meetings under India’s presidency of G-20. 17 Youth delegates from G20 countries like Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Brazil and Nigeria participated in the two-day event at the University of Kashmir in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
A total of 108 students from the University of Kashmir, 34 students from schools around J&K, 57 students from colleges around Srinagar, 11 students’ colleges and universities in Jammu, 33 DoYA delegates, 25 Y20 Secretariat delegates and 25 student activists also participated.
“This global event will change the future with the involvement of so many countries. Many of the young students and delegates can influence this world. I am a strong supporter of conservation and safeguarding nature,” said William, an American student.
The theme of the consultative meeting was “Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a Way of Life” and was held under the aegis of India’s G20 Presidency.
India’s Place in the World
India’s hosting of the G20 presidency presents a one-of-a-kind opportunity for its youth to act as global ambassadors. The Y20 commitment bunch, the authority youth commitment gathering of the G20, permits youngsters to contribute their thoughts and vision on G20 needs. India’s youth can have an impact on global policy by actively participating in global discussions on topics such as the future of work, climate change, peacebuilding, governance, and health.
Conclusion
The young population of India presents a significant opportunity for inclusive development. India has the potential to harness the potential of its youth and create a brighter future by providing them with access to opportunities, education, leadership training, and skill development programs. A concerted effort to nurture and support India’s young generation is demonstrated by the government’s commitment to youth-centric policies, increased funding for youth affairs, and collaboration with civil society organisations and private players.
“What we want are some young men who will renounce everything and sacrifice their lives for the sake of their country,” Swami Vivekananda rightly stated. India has the potential to witness the rise of a new generation of leaders and change-makers who will shape the nation’s future if it provides the opportunities, resources, and enabling environment that are required. India’s youth should take the initiative, seize the current opportunities, and unleash the nation’s potential for a prosperous and inclusive future.
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