NEW DELHI, Jan 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the National Youth Festival in Karnataka’s Hubbali on Thursday, an event that is being held on the National Youth Day which is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda to honour his ideals, teachings and contributions.
“Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the 26th National Youth Festival in Hubbali at around 4 pm,” a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The National Youth Festival is held every year to provide exposure to talented youth at the national level and galvanise them towards nation-building.
It brings diverse cultures from all parts of the country on a common platform and unites the participants in the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
This year, the festival is being held in Hubballi-Dharwad in Karnataka from January 12-16, with the theme being “Viksit Yuva–Viksit Bharat”.
The Festival will witness Youth Summit, which will witness plenary discussions on five themes stemming from G20 and Y20 events — Future of work, Industry, Innovation and 21st Century Skills; Climate change and disaster risk reduction; Peace building and Reconciliation; Shared future-youth in democracy and governance; and Health and Well-being, according to the statement.
The Summit will witness participation of more than 60 eminent experts. Several competitive and non-competitive events will also be held.
Competitive events will include folk dances and songs, and will be held to provide an impetus to local traditional cultures, the statement said.
Non-competitive events will include Yogathon which aims to mobilise close to 10 lakh people to do Yoga, it said.
Eight indigenous sports and martial arts will also be presented during the event by national level performers. Other attractions at the festival include a food festival, young artist camp, adventure sports activities and special ‘Know Your Army, Navy and Air Force’ camps.
Meanwhile, addressing a media briefing here, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur said as the country celebrates 75 years of India’s Independence, the festival aims to step up the role of youth in nation-building during ‘Amrit Kaal’.
“Therefore, it will be an endeavour to disseminate the message of ‘Panch Pran’ as espoused by the prime minister among the youth,” he said.
Thakur said India is holding G20 Presidency this year which is a matter of great pride for every Indian.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is organising ‘Y Talks’ throughout the country for Y(Youth)-20 activities of G-20.
The National Youth Festival will set pace for Y-20 engagement across the country by sensitising the youth about the themes of Y-20. The participants will in turn take the message and themes of Y-20 to every nook and corner of the country, Thakur said.
The minister said the Youth Festival is being celebrated as green festival using only biodegradable materials. The focus will be on Prime Minister Modi’s Mission LiFE and Green Energy, he added.
Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Meeta R Lochan said more than 30,000 youth will attend the inaugural function where the prime minister will share his vision with them. (PTI)
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