Manipur is organising a six-day long global youth meet in Imphal with youth from around the world participating in the interactive session in a bid to urge the youth to take society in a right direction.
The meet that started on Thursday has been organised by Club 25 International Board (USA) under the theme 'Young blood donors, our future'.
The Global Youth Meets 2014 is the first of its kind in the world and is aimed at strengthening global youth networks, examining problems and challenges and also chalking out an action plan for making the world a better place to live in.
The meet expected to gather not less than 600 youths from 160 countries and diplomats from countries including Turkey, Israel, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and America during the programme.
However, Organising Secretary K. Karnajit Singh said only 24 nations have been able to make it to the event.
"Club 25 is an organisation which is split over 90 countries, with the objective of donating blood 25 times at 25 years of age. And we have organised this event in which we had invited all the countries. But only 24 countries and around 100 delegates are joining the event," said Singh.
The Manipur unit of Club 25 International is taking a leading role in organising blood donation camps in the northeastern province with support from Bangkok-based non-governmental organisation UNESCO Youth Foundation. Experts from United Development Programme, UNESCO, WHO and representatives from India's federal and provincial government of Manipur government will be the resource persons at the meet.
One of the delegates at the event representing Club 25 International, USA, Stephanie Beneditti talked about her expectations from the youth meet.
"What I really hope is that the youth here really feels the connection with each other. And they really feel that they can go back to their home countries and bring a more global message. Just share what the youth from other countries think and bring those thoughts into their countries, maybe bring new perspectives and ideas and then bring change within their own countries," she said.
Issues of fostering democracy, youth employment, conflict and sustainable development will also be discussed at the meet which will primarily be held at Classic Hotel, Imphal and Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Regional Centre, Imphal.
India's Olympic boxing bronze medalist Mary Kom, who is the ambassador of the Global Youth Meets 2014, will also be seen interacting with the youth delegates.
The event will provide the youth in Manipur an opportunity to learn from experiences of youths from other countries and open a new chapter in the efforts to make Manipur a better and developed state.
The state of Manipur will also get a chance to showcase itself to the youth of the world by letting them know about their culture, tradition, living styles in rural and urban areas and tourist destinations.
