President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that the “Gen Z Dialogue” initiative will bring the perspectives of the younger generation into the governance process. To support this effort, the National Youth Service Council will be tasked with establishing youth centers at the national, provincial, district, and regional levels and organizing these dialogues.
The President made this statement while addressing the “Puluwan Sri Lanka” National Youth Conference, held this morning (30) at the Maharagama Youth Service Council.
The event saw participation from youth leaders representing every divisional secretariat across the island. Emphasizing that the future of the country lies in the hands of today’s youth, the President committed to equipping the Gen Z generation with the digital knowledge and tools needed to thrive in a rapidly advancing technological world. This includes providing training in digital marketing, freelancing, and offering free services to clients,which will open new avenues for income generation.
Additionally, the President highlighted plans to implement training programs in commercial activities. The President also noted that a robust economy would foster a modern agricultural culture and promote environmentally-friendly tourism, creating the necessary environment for youth to find employment and start new enterprises.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated his intention to create an environment that encourages greater youth representation in the political arena. He also announced plans to establish a Youth Parliamentary Advisory Office to enhance the political knowledge of the younger generation.The President expressed his aim to develop Generation Z into a group capable of assuming leadership roles in the country.
He highlighted that the hopes of the youth,which were shattered in 2015 and 2020, have been revitalized through the “Puluwan Sri Lanka” program.
Speaking further at the event, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said:All of you here today are part of Generation Z, the generation that will lead this country in the future. There is often talk about Generation Z being outsiders and disconnected from Sri Lankan politics.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) claims that the country has seen no progress in the last 75 years, a statement made from this very Youth Service Council.
However,this council did not exist in 1948—I was the one who established the youth clubs and later formed the Youth Service Council. So, to say that the country has not progressed is not an accurate assessment.
It’s true that our country’s economy has not been strong, and now we must focus on how to strengthen it. Many young people feel disillusioned, saying they voted in the 2020 elections but were let down, or that they supported the good governance movement in 2015, only to have their expectations unmet. This disappointment has led some to reject politics altogether.
The JVP, however, claims they were never in power. My friend, former minister Mr.Anura Kumara Dissanayake, says this, but I remember that Sajith Premadasa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Wijayadasa Rajapaksha, and I have all served as ministers.
During the 2020 parliamentary elections, I warned that there was an economic crisis and that failing to secure 3 billion US dollars would result in an economic collapse.
This truth led to the United National Party’s defeat. If speaking the truth means losing votes, then I should have exited politics. But I stayed because the country needed saving, and I stepped in to secure a future for all of you. We must all embark on this journey together—failing to do so would be a grave mistake. Remember, the decisions we make today will shape your future.
We have to decide whether we are thinking about 5years ahead or 25 years ahead and building the country. Some people said that there is no point in thinking about 2048.But we say that we should focus on 2048. Thailand and Vietnam became a trade economy thinking about the future. But why don’t we think about it?
If there is a problem, they say that we will subsidize this. But there is no problem solving, that is what has happened so far. That’s why this vote is important. That day I rebuilt the economy of this country. Now we have to decide which way to go.
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