DUSHANBE, August 12, 2013, Asia-Plus – A number of activities were organized in Dushanbe today to mark International Youth Day (IYD).

According to the Committee for Youth, Sports and Tourism Affairs, a seminal entitled “Youth and Today’s World,” involving students from Tajikistan and a number of other countries, took place at the Culture Center Oryono in Dushanbe.

Ms. Parvin Nouriddinova, the chairperson of the NGO “Equal to Equal,” says a fair entitled “Volunteering as a Rung in the Career Ladder” will take place in Dushanbe on August 17.

“To-date, more than 20 public associations and initiative groups have confirmed their participation in the fair,” said Nouriddinova.  “These organizations are ready to accept young people for employment as volunteers.”

A number of local business structures are also expected to participate in the upcoming fair.  Besides, master-classes on oratorical skill and debates on various subjects will be organized on the sidelines of the event, Nouriddinova noted.

International Youth Day (IYD) is an awareness day designated by the United Nations.  The first IYD was on 12 August 2000.  As with other political awareness days, such as Earth Day, the purpose of the day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding an endangered demographic.

The theme of International Youth Day 2013 is “Youth Migration: Moving Development Forward.”  Young people make up a significant share of the global number of international migrants.  In 2010, there were an estimated 27 million international young migrants.  While migration can often offer valuable opportunities and contribute to the development of communities and society at large, it can also pose risks and lead to unacceptable situations, including discrimination and exploitation.

The 2013 observance of International Youth Day is expected to raise awareness of the opportunities and risks associated with youth migration, share knowledge and information stemming from recent research and analysis on this topic, and engage young people in discussions on their migration experiences.