The President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, Cde Tiago Vieira
Chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency, Cde Andile Lungisa
Robert Tinel, former President and coordinator of the festival leading the Veterans Movement for the Festival
International Organising Committee Members
National Planning Committee Members
Veterans of World Festival of Youth and Students
Young people of the World
It gives me a great pleasure to accept the fruits of your week long deliberations and labour. We have witnessed, the young people of South Africa and the world, working together side by side robustly engaging on pertinent issues of development affecting the world.
It takes a special kind of character to take time off from your different occupations, your different schedules during the festive season, to gather as the youth of the world to work towards defining the future. Let this event go down in history as one of the key defining moments in our ongoing struggle for social transformation throughout the world.
Let this be a defining moment in your own individual lives. As you go back to your different countries, you should share your experiences and learning's of the past eight days with other young people towards changing the total outlook of the world for the better. Young people have a responsibility towards the future, securing it now will ensure that our country and the rest of the world become a far better place than they currently are.
It is no secret that at the time when South Africans were refugees and in exile, it is countries of the world that extended a helping hand.
Today, we the people of South Africa, can indeed live side by side in peace with one another, embracing our diversity and promoting our unity.
This, we could not have done, without solidarity from the continent and the rest of the world. Since the attainment of our own political freedom 16 years ago, South Africa has continued to play a central role in the political and socio-economic issues of the world. Most notably is the recent successful hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on the African soil, which was hailed as a success across the globe. In the past eight days you have contributed to our legacy by hosting the World Festival of Youth and Students in our country. We commend the step taken by the youth of South Africa for creating a platform for you to come together to raise critical issues in an effort to find lasting solutions.
South Africa has a rich history with the World Festival of Youth and Students however this is the first time in the 65 year history of this very significant international youth conference that it was held in SADC region of Africa, and that the conference had specific focus on issues relevant to youth from the African continent. The plight of South Africans during the apartheid era was always a discussion point at this important event. More recently the late Andile Yawa was President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth.
We continued to receive regular updates about your daily activities at the conference and as we accept this declaration as the South African government, we undertake to ensure that the initiative you undertook resulting in the recommendations contained in the declaration will find expression in our own programmes as government and that we will lobby where possible, for their inclusion in the various multilateral institutions of the world.
We are saying charity will begin here at home in giving practical meaning to the needs of young people. We have noted the different needs and challenges faced by young people from across the world, especially Africa, which were highlighted and through greater collaboration, and working through multilateral forums we will ensure that policies are in place to address education, skills development, promote access to justice, and strengthen the fight against xenophobia and other forms of oppression.
We must commend your role in advancing our historical mission of pursuing lasting peace and social transformation throughout the world.
As the World Federation of Democratic Youth celebrates its 65th anniversary we congratulate the organisation for its contribution to peace and social transformation in the world. We also call on it to continue with its mission of striving to unite the youth of the world and mobilise them around the banner of promoting universal principles of peace, freedom and social transformation to create a world free of human rights abuses and creation of sustainable environments.
Ladies and gentlemen we wish to take this opportunity to also acknowledge Ahmed Kathrada as the first South African to attend the festival. Let us also give a round of applause to 140 member countries and 18 500 young people from all over the world who attended the festival.
We also take this opportunity to acknowledge the challenges the festival has had but we are delighted that it has matured to another successful conference hosted by South Africa.
We hope you have all enjoyed the hospitality with which you were welcomed by the youth of our country. South Africa is a beautiful country and as such you are welcome to visit again. Lastly, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a merry and prosperous new year and travel safely to your countries.
I thank you.
Source: Sapa
