The Youth Co:Lab National Youth Dialogue (NYD) for 2024 convened yesterday marking a milestone event under the theme ‘Leadership, Innovation, Entrepreneurship. It facilitated a consultative discourse on priorities of young people and existing gaps that hinder youth development, while recognising the achievements of young entrepreneurs from Sri Lanka. Led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, the consultation highlighted the pivotal role of youth in tackling national and global challenges, with a focus on entrepreneurship.
Over 100 youth leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and innovators across Sri Lanka collaborated to deliberate on pressing issues impacting young people, including barriers to youth participation in governance, the startup ecosystem, and effective action. Attendees explored solutions aimed at advancing sustainable development while emphasising the critical contributions of youth in driving innovation and resilience.
Reflecting on the outcomes of this year’s dialogue, Malin Herwig, Officer-In-Charge, UNDP in Sri Lanka, shared, “The National Youth Dialogue has once again highlighted the transformative potential of Sri Lanka’s youth in driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. At UNDP, we are steadfast in our mission to empower young people by equipping them with the skills, tools, and opportunities to become leaders of change. As a regional initiative by Youth Co:Lab, co-led by UNDP and the Citi Foundation, and through flagship programs such as HackaDev, we are building a generation capable of addressing pressing challenges and driving impactful solutions. Together with the Government of Sri Lanka and our partners, we remain committed to fostering an inclusive ecosystem where the energy, creativity, and determination of our youth can shape a resilient and prosperous future for all.”
In 2024, UNDP strategically prioritised institutional strengthening while continuing impactful programmatic interventions to empower youth and drive sustainable, system-level transformations. These efforts, supported financially by Youth Co:Lab, a co-initiative of UNDP and Citi Foundation, included the transformation of the National Youth Corps (NYC) Life Skills curriculum, benefiting over 10,000 youth annually, and capacity development for 200 Life Skills Instructors across 58 youth centres nationwide. Additionally, enhancements to the Small Enterprise Development Division’s (SEDD) processes have positively impacted 28,000 enterprises annually. The year also saw the successful completion of HackaDev initiatives, culminating with the National Youth Dialogue 2024.
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