Youth should be in the lead if environmental protection is a necessity for everyone. Protais K. Mitali, the Minister of Youth has said in a communiqué addressed to the nation to mark the International Youth Day.

"Natural calamities have displaced thousands of people in different parts of the world so it is important for Rwandan youth to take action first and protect the environment,” the Minister said.

Mitali said youth will inherit the future so they should be informed on how to conserve their environment.

The minister added that youth comprise a big percentage of the population that benefits from agriculture that can easily be affected by climate change that is caused by poor protection of environment.

Mitali however added that there has always been a challenge to involve youth in planning and implementing strategies to conserve land and forests.

He also said that his ministry has developed a policy that will help Rwandan youth towards development and protecting their environment.

He noted that development strategies towards vision 2020 like Ubudehe (Collective Community Action) cannot be achieved if the environment is not protected.

The Minister called upon all stakeholders to sensitize youth to become patriotic, independent, responsible, and courageous and to help their fellow youth.

Mitali said the United Nations identify youth in two sections, the first one being youth between 15 and 19 years called teenagers and older youth from 20 to 24 years.

While the African Union describes youth as those people aged between 15 and 35 years and the National Youth Council has identified Rwandan youth as people from 14 to 35 years.

The selection of this theme for IYD 2008 is in recognition of the fact that climate change has already begun to devastate communities and deepen the effects of poverty and hunger.

International Youth Day gives the world an opportunity to recognize the potential of youth, to celebrate their achievements, and plan for ways to better engage young people to successfully take action in the development of their societies.

Different countries across the world have marked International Youth Day holding workshops, conferences, and concerts among other activities that go with this year’s theme ‘YOUTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE: TIME FOR ACTION’

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