My future, my responsibility
By Tee Shiao Eek KUALA LUMPUR, 12 August 2009 – If young people are the future of the nation and the world, then their voices should be heard today. Malaysian youth reporter Wan Su-Ann, 17, wants people to know that teenagers have valid opinions about what goes on in the world. “People always say that teens are meant to be seen and not heard,” she said. “I have the very strong urge to tell people that we are teens, we have our opinions and we want the world to know.” Su-Ann was one of 20 teens who have produced one-minute videos to tell stories about their lives, dreams and aspirations. The teenagers participated in the ‘oneminutesJr’ video workshop by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Education in February 2009, where children from mostly vulnerable and marginalised communities across Malaysia explored their right to express themselves, through the media of their generation. “To commemorate International Youth Day, UNICEF is highlighting the creative achievements by these youth to demonstrate the power that young people wield in charting the course for their future,” said UNICEF Representative to Malaysia Mr Youssouf Oomar. Messages about the future According to Mr Youssouf who is also UNICEF Special Representative to Brunei, today’s youth have a greater responsibility as global citizens, because their behaviours and actions can shape the environment, society and economy of the world. Budding environmentalist Qusyairi Zazili, 15, was one of the participants at the workshop and took his responsibility seriously. His video, called ‘Gas’, highlights how air pollution is destroying the world he lives in and spreads the message about the need for a cleaner environment. “All the air pollution, all the open burning, the global warming, it bothers me. I am trying to do my part to save my world for my future generation,” said Qusyairi. To be able to contribute effectively to a sustainable and peaceful future, children’s rights are crucial, particularly the right to use media platforms to share, discover and receive information that contributes to their development, as well as the right to express their opinions in matters that affect them. Youth today, leaders tomorrow “While we can be proud of the world-class achievements of Malaysian youths, we must continue to prepare them for the challenge of creating a sustainable future, particularly as we commemorate 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child this year,” said Mr Youssouf. In line with this challenge, UNICEF recently collaborated with a local peace organisation in Perak, the Taiping Peace Initiative, to organise a Youth Leadership Training for 50 young people aged 15-18, equipping them with leadership skills and empowering them to fulfil their responsibility as future peace-builders. The workshop offered a unique space for debate and reflection, to give young people an opportunity to collectively discover some solutions to the problems confronting their generation today. The youth used stories, songs, art, mime and even dikir barat (a traditional singing performance) to explore different perspectives of conflict, and made personal and group pledges on their role in “keeping the peace” for the present and future. “Together with the Taiping Peace Initiative, we hope to contribute to the Government’s continuing efforts to promote the physical, emotional and intellectual development of young people in Malaysia,” said Mr Youssouf. Activities that develop the potential of children and youth today will help them to energise action to fulfil the promise of a developed nation.
International Youth Day 2009 Celebrating 20 years of children's rights  Voices of Youth - Do you know your RIGHTS? Newsline: Youth action 9 August 2009: 26 April 2009: 1 March 2009: 28 January 2009: 3 March 2008: |
