ICYO- Youth Information

No. 2008/ 81

(E-Newsletter from network of youth organizations in India)

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ICYO - Platform of 358 Youth Organizations in India.       

ICYO - India’s largest network of urban and rural youth.

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Youth Brigade to Descend on India Gate Lawns in New Delhi, Pledge for Communal Harmony

 

In a grand spectacle amidst the backdrop of the majestic India Gate, over 7,000 NCC cadets will descend on the adjoining lawns tomorrow morning to pledge themselves for communal harmony.

 

At a time when the nation is passing through some turbulent times with incidents of vandalism in some places against a particular minority community marring the secular and tolerant image of the country, the young cadets, hailing from all across the country, leaving behind the baggage of faith and religious identity, will commit themselves to foster communal harmony.

 

With the Amar Jawan Jyoti standing as an eternal witness to India’s consolidation as a multi-religious and multi-linguistic country, the Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju, who has the distinction of being the youngest MP in the 9th Lok Sabha when he was first elected to the house from Kakinada constituency in Andhra Pradesh in 1989, will administer the communal harmony pledge to the cadets as the massive gathering rises in one voice to echo the sentiments of a young and vibrant India.

 

In a gesture, over 30 Members of Parliament will also be present on the occasion to show solidarity with the youth. The mass movement initiated by the National Cadet Corps, the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world, coincides with the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, who devoted and sacrificed his life to brotherhood and peace among different communities.

 

NCC Cadets in Purulia to Push Sanitation Awareness

 

It was a bright sunshiny Sunday morning, when Sheikh Rehan of village Suklara, his colleague Soumen Sharangi of village Bamunidha and Umarani Mahato of village Ankro took their places at the meeting hall of J K College in Purulia District, West Bengal. About 210 girls and boys in the age group 14-18, from 13 colleges and 11 schools of Purulia, dressed in well pressed army khakis with the distinctive red pompoms of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) sat in perfect rows at the inaugural function of the Youth for Change programme.

 

West Bengal is one of the most populous states of India and has been doing well on sanitation with about 76% of sanitation (toilet) coverage higher than the national average of 56 %. However, Purulia district lags behind dismally with only 10% of households having toilets. The district administration is working hard to increase sanitation coverage.

 

The NCC is the youth wing of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, working in educational institutions to groom young people into disciplined and loyal citizens. It aims to create human resource of organized, trained and motivated youth to provide leadership in all walks of life and be always available at the service of the Nation. The NCC in partnership with UNICEF and district administration has plans to push awareness on sanitation and hygiene through this programme in Purulia over the next three months. The programme will add momentum to the district administration's efforts to promote the construction and use of toilets and introduce simple hygiene practices.

 

A K Das, Commanding Officer, NCC in Purulia, said that cadets have taken up the challenge to build awareness on sanitation within communities in the district. As a first step many of them will motivate their own families to get toilets in their homes and spread the message of the need for hygiene and sanitation near their households.

 

Speaking at the function, Bilasibala Sahis, Purulia's Sabhadipati (elected district head) lauded this initiative of the NCC and urged the cadets to come forward and adopt a gram panchayat (village) near their respective institutions to support the district's drive to increase sanitation in every village.

 

As the function broke up, the eager babble of 210 excited young people raised hopes for a fully sanitized Purulia to new heights.

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Youth Information is published by

Indian Committee of Youth Organizations (ICYO)

194-A, Arjun Nagar, Safdarjang Enclave

New Delhi 110029, India

Phone: 91 9811729093  / 91 11 26183978 Fax 91 11 26198423

Email: icyoindia@... / icyo@...

Web:  www.icyo.in

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Indian Committee of Youth Organizations (ICYO) is a registered non-profit, non-governmental network organization, committed in developing areas of mutual cooperation and understanding among different youth voluntary agencies, youth groups, clubs and individuals working in the field of youth welfare in India. 

ICYO functions as an umbrella organization of youth NGOs in India. It's family consists of
over 356 organizations spread in 122 districts of 22 states from different corners of India.

Our goal:
To improve and extend the youth work and services through Youth Organizations;
To enhance and demonstrate youth work in the society;
To promote effective youth programmmes;
To organize network of civil society organizations working towards the development of youth work;
To organize seminars, conferences, workshops, trainings;
To maintain international relation with organizations promoting young people in their programmes and activities

Affiliation: 

Consultative (Roster) Status with ECOSOC, United Nations;
Consultative Status with Commission on Sustainable Development;
Full Member of World Assembly of Youth (WAY); Asian Youth Council (AYC);
 CRIN, South Asia Youth Environment Network (SAYEN),

Affiliate group of ECPAT International, Thailand;
ATSECE-DELHI, Indian Partner of AIDS Care Watch Campaign;
Steering Committee member of World Bank's YDP Network;
Working relation with Indian Association of Parliamentarians (IAPPD);
International Medical Parliamentarians Organizations (IMPO);
Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD);
World Youth Foundation, Malaysia.