NETWORKING YOUTHFOR DEVELOPMENT IN

THE 21ST CENTURY.

Dr. Chris NonisB.Sc.(Hons), MBBS(London), MRCP(UK)

Deputy ChairmanRoyal Commonwealth Society

London

• YOUTH CHALLENGES IN THE 21YOUTH CHALLENGES IN THE 21STST CENTURY CENTURY

•PovertyPoverty•UnemploymenUnemploymentt•ConflictConflict•TerrorismTerrorism•HIV & AIDSHIV & AIDS•Democracy & Democracy & Good Good GovernanceGovernance•Climate Climate ChangeChange•Trade Trade ProtectionProtection

Yocomm.com Pan-Commonwealth Yocomm.com Pan-Commonwealth SurveySurvey

Malta, CHOGM 2005Malta, CHOGM 2005

• 1.3 billion young people now 1.3 billion young people now living in the developing world.living in the developing world.

• 200 million young people living 200 million young people living in povertyin poverty

• 130 million illiterate130 million illiterate• 88 million unemployed88 million unemployed• 10 million living with HIV & 10 million living with HIV &

AIDSAIDS

• YOUTH CHALLENGES IN THE 21YOUTH CHALLENGES IN THE 21STST CENTURY CENTURY

““The Commonwealth could listen to young people and start acting as role The Commonwealth could listen to young people and start acting as role model for our future generation through ceasing armed conflict, model for our future generation through ceasing armed conflict, upholding global and domestic human rights, promoting TRUE upholding global and domestic human rights, promoting TRUE

democracy where we embrace rather than demonize the “other” or democracy where we embrace rather than demonize the “other” or “different”, engaging young people in politics through education and “different”, engaging young people in politics through education and

participation, and give young people more than just a tokenistic say in participation, and give young people more than just a tokenistic say in domestic and national governance.”domestic and national governance.”

Yocomm Pan-Commonwealth youth survey, CHOGM 2005, MaltaYocomm Pan-Commonwealth youth survey, CHOGM 2005, Malta

"Making an Impact: The Commonwealth in

Parliament and in the Constituencies"

Criticality is to Criticality is to redefineredefine the the Commonwealth in contemporary Commonwealth in contemporary youth terms, addressing youth terms, addressing imperatives such as trade imperatives such as trade investment, capital flows, energy investment, capital flows, energy security, climate changesecurity, climate change

• Commonalities in our Commonwealth network Commonalities in our Commonwealth network provide a platform for democracy and development provide a platform for democracy and development towards Millennium Development Goals.towards Millennium Development Goals.

• We should leverage on our commonalities… Legal, We should leverage on our commonalities… Legal, Civil Service… Language… Administrative Systems, Civil Service… Language… Administrative Systems, Our historical links… Education, Cross Border Our historical links… Education, Cross Border Migration, empathy with each other, and cultural Migration, empathy with each other, and cultural affinity has cemented a pan-Commonwealth affinity has cemented a pan-Commonwealth relationship with a reservoir of goodwill.relationship with a reservoir of goodwill.

……..So lets harness it...So lets harness it.

THE COMMONWEALTH NETWORKTHE COMMONWEALTH NETWORKADVANTAGEADVANTAGE

Commonwealth: A Way Commonwealth: A Way ForwardForward

Kamalesh SharmaKamalesh Sharma

Commonwealth Secretary-GeneralCommonwealth Secretary-General

Address at Royal Commonwealth Address at Royal Commonwealth Society, LondonSociety, London

““Youth are our Youth are our greatest greatest

commonwealth commonwealth asset”asset”

YOUTH - THE MOST DYNAMICYOUTH - THE MOST DYNAMIC

COMMONWEALTH NETWORKCOMMONWEALTH NETWORK

• LOCAL NETWORKSLOCAL NETWORKS• REGIONAL NEWORKSREGIONAL NEWORKS• CROSS BORDER CROSS BORDER

NETWORKSNETWORKS• GLOBAL NETWORKSGLOBAL NETWORKS• ONLINE NETWORKSONLINE NETWORKS

– CAPACITY BUILDINGCAPACITY BUILDING– DATA ACQUISITION & KNOWLEDGE PROCESSINGDATA ACQUISITION & KNOWLEDGE PROCESSING– TECHNOLOGY & KNOWLEDGE TRANSFERTECHNOLOGY & KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

– VALUE CREATION & VALUE RETENTIONVALUE CREATION & VALUE RETENTIONA Commonwealth Network of Shared Values . Always A Commonwealth Network of Shared Values . Always

retain your values you can achieve all the success you want retain your values you can achieve all the success you want but never do it at the expense of someone else.but never do it at the expense of someone else.

Try not to be a man of success. Try to be a man of value…Try not to be a man of success. Try to be a man of value…Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

– BUILDING SUCCESSFUL NETWORKSBUILDING SUCCESSFUL NETWORKSSuccess is a Gift to Pass to Others…Success is a Gift to Pass to Others…

““You make a living by what you get… you make a life by what You make a living by what you get… you make a life by what you give…”you give…”

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill““None has ever become poor by giving”None has ever become poor by giving”

Anne FrankAnne Frank

• LOCAL NETWORKSLOCAL NETWORKS

• REGIONAL NETWORKS FOR TRADEREGIONAL NETWORKS FOR TRADE

““Pan Commonwealth trading block Pan Commonwealth trading block concept” (EU, SAARC)concept” (EU, SAARC)

Use our collective networking Use our collective networking strengths to enhance regional strengths to enhance regional trade and investmenttrade and investment

To meet Challenges of To meet Challenges of Globalisation - WTO, Doha Round, Globalisation - WTO, Doha Round, Gleneagles etcGleneagles etc

Strive for Greater economic Strive for Greater economic engagementengagement

Address Address POVERTYPOVERTY, if we are to , if we are to achieve millennium development achieve millennium development goals and truly be a COMMON-goals and truly be a COMMON-WEALTHWEALTH

• CROSS BORDER NETWORKSCROSS BORDER NETWORKS

– Commonwealth SecretariatCommonwealth Secretariat– Royal Commonwealth SocietyRoyal Commonwealth Society– Commonwealth Business CouncilCommonwealth Business Council– Commonwealth Youth Education Commonwealth Youth Education

CouncilCouncil– Commonwealth Youth CaucusCommonwealth Youth Caucus– Commonwealth Youth ProgrammeCommonwealth Youth Programme– Royal Over-Seas LeagueRoyal Over-Seas League

• ONLINE NETWORKSONLINE NETWORKS

YouTubeYouTube

FacebookFacebook

YahooYahoo

YocommYocomm

Social Networks; Social Networks; Advocacy, Advocacy, Campaigning, Campaigning, Discussion ForaDiscussion Fora

• INNOVATE NEW NETWORKSINNOVATE NEW NETWORKS

““The wise man is not the one who gives the right The wise man is not the one who gives the right answers…answers…

the man who asks the right questions”the man who asks the right questions”

Challenge convention and Challenge convention and preconceived ideas and advance preconceived ideas and advance the Frontiers of Sciencethe Frontiers of ScienceWorld Wide WebWorld Wide Web

BioinformaticsBioinformatics

Nano TechnologyNano Technology

GenomicsGenomics

• MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE 21MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE 21STST CENTURY CENTURY

Bill Gates - Microsoft Bill Gates - Microsoft WindowsWindowsYocommYocommGoogle – Sergey Brin & Google – Sergey Brin & Larry PageLarry Page

• VIRTUES IN LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTUREVIRTUES IN LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE

““The future of the The future of the Commonwealth is indeed Commonwealth is indeed in the hands of the young”in the hands of the young”HM Queen Elizabeth IIHM Queen Elizabeth II

Mahatma GandhiMahatma GandhiHe had a serenity and He had a serenity and tranquility in his spirit with a tranquility in his spirit with a philosophic detachment, which philosophic detachment, which preserved his sense of essential preserved his sense of essential values. He had discovered the values. He had discovered the hidden secret and intellectual hidden secret and intellectual virtues of heart and mindvirtues of heart and mind

Nelson MandelaNelson MandelaThe personification of the The personification of the concept of equanimity and concept of equanimity and always demonstrated a sense of always demonstrated a sense of compassion and never locked in compassion and never locked in intrepidity and fortitudeintrepidity and fortitude

• YOUTH NETWORKS FOR CHANGE IN THE 21YOUTH NETWORKS FOR CHANGE IN THE 21STST CENTURY CENTURY

““Change is the realization that Change is the realization that meeting today's threats meeting today's threats require not just our firepower require not just our firepower but the power of our but the power of our diplomacy”diplomacy”

• The power of networking The power of networking

• The power of voiceThe power of voice

• The power of youthThe power of youthBarack ObamaBarack ObamaPresident - Elect of USAPresident - Elect of USA

One final thought… One final thought…

Yours is a vibrant civilization Yours is a vibrant civilization

You can be the change we You can be the change we believe inbelieve in

NETWORKING YOUTH FORDEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST

CENTURY.We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop

in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.that missing drop.

Mother TheresaMother Theresa

The Future is YOUThe Future is YOU

Dr. Chris NonisDr. Chris NonisB.Sc(Hons) MBBS ( London) MRCP (UK)B.Sc(Hons) MBBS ( London) MRCP (UK)

Deputy Chairman,Deputy Chairman, Royal Commonwealth Society, UKRoyal Commonwealth Society, UKEmail : nonis@mackwoods.comEmail : nonis@mackwoods.com

NETWORKING YOUTH FORDEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST

CENTURY.