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Involvement of youth will help understand, solve problems, says Thakur at Y20 consultation meeting
PUNE I am delighted to be in Pune, a city known for its thriving manufacturing industry, which is home to some of the world’s largest automobile engineering and electronics companies
PUNE I am delighted to be in Pune, a city known for its thriving manufacturing industry, which is home to some of the world’s largest automobile engineering and electronics companies. Pune’s reputation as the cultural capital of Maharashtra and a leading education hub cannot be overstated, said Union minister of information and broadcasting and ministry of youth affairs and sports Anurag Singh Thakur during the fourth Youth 20 (Y20) consultation meeting held in Pune on Saturday.
“With over 10 universities and 100 institutes, the city has been a beacon of knowledge and culture for generations, attracting students and scholars from across the world. There could not be a better place to organise this Y20 event. Such institutions sow and nurture the seeds of change,” he said.
At least 97 participants from more than 44 countries participated in the event. Also, 72 students who are the winners of 36 such events, from various parts of Maharashtra participated in the meeting.
Besides Thakur, Sundeep Waslekar, president, Strategic Foresight Group was the keynote speaker. Also, present on the occasion were Prof SB Mujumdar, founder and president, Symbiosis, and chancellor, SIU; Vidya Yeravdekar, pro-chancellor, SIU; Pankaj Singh, director, ministry of youth affairs and sports; Anmol Sovit, Chair Y20 India and Rajni Gupte, vice-chancellor, SIU.
Speaking on the importance of the contribution of young people in the development of India and the world Thakur said, “Young people are equal stakeholders in the present, their role is today, now and here. Look around, India is making headlines across the world, for being the world’s fastest-growing large economy. From being among the fragile five economies in 2014, we are now among the first five economies of the world. In eight years, we have become third globally among startups, with over 77,000 startups and more than 107 unicorns. Whether it is social media-led social causes or billion-dollar startups, our youth are leading from the front. The path-breaking stories of our youth serve as inspiration for people all over the world to follow their passions and make a positive impact in their respective fields.”
Referring to India’s G20 Presidency and the Y20 summit, the minister expressed, “India’s hosting of the prestigious G20 is a great honour for us. It is a privilege for me and our department as well to host the prestigious Y20 summit. This presents an extraordinary opportunity to engage the collective efforts of the world’s youth on issues which matter to them the most. India’s role in this summit is not limited to speaking, it also aims for youth to be heard and actively shape the global agenda.”
“Accordingly, the Y20 summit 2023 has identified five key themes which will serve as guiding light for our youth. These priority areas point to the urgency with which the world has to reconcile with the reality of changing times in our quest to survive and thrive,” he said.
