SELF-RESPECT, EDUCATION, RISKY BEHAVIOUR AMONG ISSUES RAISED AT WORLD CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUTH
Press Release
SOC/4466
SELF-RESPECT, EDUCATION, RISKY BEHAVIOUR AMONG ISSUES RAISED AT WORLD CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUTH
19980810 General Exchange of Views Begins(Received from a United Nations Information Officer.)
LISBON, 9 August -- Without a single means of shielding young people from harm, solid research was needed about what effectively detoured risky behaviour, Donna Shalala, United States Secretary of State for Health and Human Services, told the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth this morning, as it began its general exchange of views.
She said the United States had undertaken programmes to combat drug abuse, including efforts to reduce tobacco use, and to reduce youth violence. To help develop global responses to the many global problems facing young people, the United States would share the results of its experiences with other nations. She called on ministers to help young people develop strong inner voices which spoke of self-respect and peace and which spoke more loudly than cigarette advertisements, gang leaders or drug pushers.
The Minister for Human Resources Development of Canada, Pierre Pettigrew, told the Conference that globalization and new technologies posed challenges and opportunities to young men and women. It was critical that they received the education to fulfil their educational potential. By drawing on each State's experience, barriers to education could be removed and the social fabric enriched. With no one social sector or one level of government possessing all the answers to youth employment, he said a fruitful partnerships must be established which drew upon the strengths of all levels of government, educators, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), business, labour, community organizations and young people. Pavel Zgaga, State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Slovenia, said the Conference provided an opportunity for individual countries to exchange knowledge and achievements. Endorsing the draft text of the Lisbon declaration on youth being considered for adoption by the Conference, he said ministers were presented with an excellent opportunity to create general policies based on common goals and commitments.
The representative of China, Huang Danhua, said that within the context of global cooperation in the area of youth policy, the international community should respect the diversity of the world. As the peoples of various countries had chosen different social systems, different development strategies and life styles, governments should have the right to develop youth policy and programmes in line with their national conditions. Then, common negotiations should be held to facilitate international cooperation.
Also participating in this morning's debate, were ministers from Brazil, Syria, Latvia, Italy, Fiji, Romania, Jordan, Czech Republic, Morocco, Kuwait, Estonia and Senegal. Representatives from Greece and Chile also spoke.
The Minister for Youth and Sports of Cameroon delivered a message on behalf of the Secretary-General of the Organisation internationale de la francophonie.
Conference Work Programme
The first World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth began its general exchange of views this morning in Lisbon on the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1995 on the tenth anniversary of the International Youth Year. The Conference brings together representatives of some 160 nations -- more than 100 at the ministerial level -- to find ways of responding more effectively to the needs of young people.
Participants at the five-day Conference will review the efficacy of efforts to fulfil the World Programme of Action and consider what additional actions are required on the national level. They will also appraise progress since the 1985 International Youth Year, as well as the relevance of its themes -- participation, development and peace. In another area for discussion, social development, the focus will be on certain priority issues: education, health, employment, and the increasing problems of drug abuse and risk of communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The Conference is expected to adopt a declaration by which governments will commit to strengthening national policies to benefit youth. (For further background on the Conference, see Press Release SOC/4457, of 5 August.)
Statements
JOSE GREGORI, National Secretary for Human Rights, Brazil, said his country was making great efforts to develop and implement a series of programmes for youth. The scale of those programmes matched those in large countries. For example, 110 million books had been distributed to children last year. The scale of those efforts must be seen in the context of Brazil's economic situation: while the country had a huge potential for wealth, it still faced socio-economic problems that hindered its development.
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For most of those present today, being young was but a memory, he said. The struggles of earlier generations, which were now considered history by today's young people, had yielded three profound results that remained important for today's youth. First, global wars had stopped, sparing the lives of millions of young people. Second, the end of colonial rule had enabled many countries to preside over their own destinies. Third, there was now mass access to a variety of social elements, such as technology and entertainment.
Worldwide, three areas of fundamental importance to young people were undergoing crises: family, school and employment, he said. The lack of occupation led to a myriad of other problems. The Conference must pursue a creative solution for countries throughout the world that were concerned with their youth. Young people must be able to join the working community. Centres of occupation could be developed where young people could obtain training to acquire the necessary skills for employment and learn about themes of importance, such as family, love, sexual relations and the labour market. In Brazil, youth clubs kept young people busy. New ways were needed to deal with the problem of youth with too much time on their hands, which led to gangs, drug addiction, suicide, low self-esteem and loss of values. The young person was at the forefront of new ideas. The Lisbon documents should bring out the hopes of the world's young women and men.
MOHAMMAD SHAKIR SAEED, Minister for Youth and Sports, Syria, said youth in his country had made substantial successes over the past 28 years under the leadership of President Al-Assad. They had won the right to education, work, health, development and decision-making, in the context of a modern national, democratic renaissance covering all walks of life. Those successes, however, charged the youth of Syria with the task of contributing to the efforts exerted for eliminating disparities existing in the world today.
The combined potential of States, the United Nations and other international organizations would help improve the living conditions of young people, he said. Preventing the occupation of other people's lands, ending regional wars, limiting the manufacture of weapons, increasing investment opportunities, ending the exploitation and plunder of poor countries' resources, combating narcotics trade, and recognizing democracy in international relations instead of hegemony would lead to improved lives and expanded opportunities for young people. The millions of young people who were currently exposed to danger and diseases were the world's joint responsibility. It was a joint responsibility to provide them with the proper climate for development and progress.
Many young people in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine led painful lives under the yoke of Israeli occupation, suffering from barbaric persecution, counter to the principles of human rights and the United Nations Charter, he said. Syria demanded that pressure be exerted to force Israel to commit itself to implementing the relevant United Nations resolutions and to the
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principle of land for peace, so that a just peace could be established throughout the world. Syria supported, and hoped the entire Conference would support, the resistance against Israeli occupation, and similarly supported youth resistance worldwide to analogous burdens. Syria denounced all forms of terrorism that involved youth in acts of violence. The international community should support principles and measures for ensuring a happy life for all the world's young people.
DONNA SHALALA, Secretary of State for Health and Human Services, United States, said new global links and closer international cooperation were needed to safeguard the future. The challenge facing youth ministers was to guide the youth of today to successful adulthood and leadership. The United States looked forward to working with other nations to protect today's youth.
The link between drugs and other youth pathologies -- crime, violence and despair -- were well known, she continued. Drug use was a global health problem which demanded a global response. Responding to the challenge put forward by President Clinton to cut the rate of drug use in half within the next 10 years, the United States had undertaken an anti-drug strategy which included sharing methods that most effectively curbed drug abuse and addition. Tobacco use was also a global health problem which demanded a global health solution. President Clinton had ordered all United States embassies to stop promoting tobacco abroad, and the United States was working with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank to help youth resist the lure of tobacco. Young people must also be shielded from violence, she continued. To tackle the problem of violence, the United States had undertaken programmes which included training in non-violent behaviour, to urban, high risk youth and to their parents.
With no single means available to shield youth, solid research was needed to explore what worked to detour risky behavior, she said. One of the best ways to shield youth went back to the draft declaration on youth, currently under consideration at this Conference. The voices of young people needed to be heard in the world. But in addition to a voice which was heard outside, young people needed strong inner voices which guided them, which spoke of peace and self-protection, and which spoke more loudly than cigarette advertisements, gang leaders or drug pushers. She called on youth ministers to help young people develop that strong inner voice, to listen to them, and to support, protect and defend them.
HUANG DANHUA (China) said that her country, with a vast youth population, attached great importance to youth policy. The national youth policy stressed youth education and participation, raising the living standard of youth and defending the legitimate rights and interests of young people. China had participated in the development of regional and international youth policies. The Braga Youth Action Plan and the draft Lisbon declaration would support the implementation of United Nations youth programmes.
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All governments and the international community should give priority to follow-up actions to promote youth participation in development, she said. The right to development should be made the priority right and interest for the younger generation. Youth policy and programme initiated by the international community should fully respect the trends of the times which were moving towards peace and development. The international community should respect the diversity of the world in its cooperation in youth areas. As the peoples of various countries had chosen different social systems, different development strategies and life styles, governments should have the right to decide on the youth policy and programme priorities that were in line with their national conditions. Then, negotiations should be held to facilitate international cooperation.
PIERRE PETTIGREW, Minister for Human Resources Development, Canada, said that the impact of globalization and new technologies posed challenges and opportunities to young men and women. It was critical that they received the education to realize their potential. By drawing on each State's experience, barriers to education could be removed and the social fabric enriched. Canada had among the highest rates of enrolment in secondary education among industrialized nations. However, a person's education was not finished when he or she left school; rather, it was a lifelong process. Youth unemployment was a major concern worldwide. Canada was addressing that challenge through specialized programmes by which young people were immersed in work and life experiences. Given the tools, young people could become solid citizens, willing and able to contribute to society. Some youth were at risk of not acquiring adequate skills and, therefore, being left behind, as the world moved into the twenty-first century. Those persons needed help, since everyone deserved a chance to reach his or her full potential.
No one social sector, or one level of government possessed all the answers to youth employment, he said. Fruitful partnerships drew upon the strengths of all levels of government, educators, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), business, labour, community organizations and young people. Young people themselves must be empowered to discover their potential and develop innovative solutions. The opinions of young people must be heard, and the Canadian Government had met with 100 of its youth to develop its position for the Conference. At the World Youth Forum recently concluded in Braga, Canada's Secretary of State for Children and Youth, Ethel Blondin-Andrew, chaired a round-table discussion that examined the proposed declaration on youth from the perspective of indigenous youth. Canada had put forth a clause on indigenous youth that he hoped delegates would endorse.
Youth desired a stronger voice in government, he said. Youth were the future, and Canada was investing in them socially and economically to prepare them for that future. But success was not possible if it worked in isolation. Canada would work in partnership with other governments to ensure that young people worldwide had the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Through
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positive collaboration, sharing experiences and developing consensus on effective approaches to the betterment of youth, the world would become a finer place to live. The nations of the world had every reason to look forward to a bright future.
JOSEPH OWONA, Minister of Youth and Sports, Cameroon, read a message from the Secretary-General of the Organization of French-Speaking Countries, Organisation internationale de la francophonie, Boutros Boutros-Ghali.The young people of the world were now focusing on Lisbon. There was need to respond to the expectations and aspirations of the world's youth. Real improvement had been made in the treatment given to youth actions and in the consideration of what young people themselves desired. The conditions in Lisbon were prime for giving new impetus to youth policies.
The organization had decided that 1999 would be the year of the youth in francophone countries, the statement continued. Leaders of francophone countries were making concrete and concerted efforts to come up with a programme to meet the concerns and expectations of French-speaking youth. In March 1999, he would be meeting at the United Nations Office at Geneva with representatives from 52 francophone countries. That important meeting would provide him with the opportunity to learn the concerns of those young people, and to advocate on their behalf with heads of States and government. The time was now to prepare for the third millennium. The twenty-first century began here in Lisbon.
JANIS GAIGALS, Minister of Education and Science, Latvia, said that his Government attached high priority to international cooperation on youth policy. Regional activities had developed new means of supporting youth in the Baltic region and in Europe. Noting the importance of multinational actions in support of youth, he said that partnership, equal participation and commitment were key. The participation of young people in decision-making was vital to secure democracy and to ensure the appropriate use of resources.
Latvia had given high priority to participation in projects that support youth policies at the regional and local levels, he said. Such activities were aimed at reaching all young people and providing them the possibilities for sound self-development and self-awareness. The international community must respect youth initiatives and the wishes of young people to participate. Young people were creative, friendly and they believed in a peaceful universe. By supporting young people, the international community assured a common future.
PETROS SFIKAKIS, Secretary-General for Youth of Greece, said that the full participation of youth must be supported. Volunteerism was a new form of citizenship. As opportunities for youth participation was minimal, young people had commonly abstained from politics and had been indifferent to public affairs. To address that situation, an initiative had been undertaken in
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Greece to popularize the idea of volunteerism among young people. In response, young people had expressed a strong interest in developing volunteer activities and in participating in national, European and international voluntary networks. Contemporary volunteerism could constitute a radical life experience that allowed for the expression of solidarity, social responsibility and individual maturity.
Cooperation between voluntary organizations and State institutions had been informal and coincidental, he said. The international community should promote a more formal and permanent form of such cooperation. Government policies should support and promote voluntary movements. Existing networks should be supported financially, and new joint voluntary initiatives should be developed. Governments should support the convening of meetings to discuss the legal aspects of officially recognizing voluntary activities and programmes at the national, regional and international levels.
LIVIA TURCO, Minister for Social Solidarity, Italy, said a real social solidarity policy must focus its action on all groups: minors, youth and the elderly. It should strive to meet their needs and break the narrow boundaries of a purely market economy and strive to build an economy that promoted concrete employment and socially useful activities. It should not stop at national boundaries; it must look to the world and place value on peace. Italy was currently working out new strategies for social development. Initiatives were directed towards implementing informal education and developing transnational exchanges, using resources provided by the European Union. In particular, programmes were addressed at potentially excluded youth groups, and included interventions ranging from cultural activities to structural measures to make youth expressiveness, creativity and proposals emerge.
A framework bill currently being developed in Italy was based on four pillars, she said. It sought to guarantee that the country had inter-institutional coordination, a social representation body of the youth, inter-ministerial national action plan, and a national fund. Italy was developing with its young people new social projects which built on the imagination of youth. Young people of today had increased analytical skills and better inclinations for exchanges. They lived with multiculturalism, seemed to have internalized the value of diversity, and had developed an ability to autonomously express new cultural models. Young women and men would be living in an increasingly complex society, necessitating their involvement at the present stage.
The sustainability of the planet would require the involvement of today's youth, she said. Youth policy should help develop legislative and social tools to open new spaces where young people could exert their rights as citizens. Youth policy should provide room for diversity, respond to new concerns about issues ranging from sexuality to the environment, and open new
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spaces for the social representation of young people. Such a policy would be possible through concrete initiatives directed at cultural and structural innovations, designed to make expressivity emerge. Regulatory interventions and tools were needed to provide training and guidance to young people. A society which wanted to consider its future must implement interventions for young people based on enhancement of youth cultures, equal opportunities, social and political participation. Italy was committed to solidarity in today's interdependent world.
JONETANI KAUKIMOCE, Minister for Youth, Employment Opportunities and Sports, Fiji, said a new Constitution had come into force in his country as of 27 July. In addition to changing the name of his country, the Constitution contained a new clause providing for the formation of a human rights committee to ensure that fundamental rights and freedom were enjoyed by all citizens. It was in that context that the national youth policy was to be formulated and implemented by the year 2000.
He then highlighted areas in which the Government of Fiji had implemented the World Programme of Action. The fiji National Programme of Action included skills training for employment and a youth training centre; capacity-building and training of youth leaders through programmes; financial support for NGOs and the inclusion of young people in international conferences; an integrated policy for youth development in the new millennium; establishment of a new research and data collection unit to build a database for policy formulation, programme implementation and information dissemination; and participation of youths in the protection, preservation and improvement of the environment.
Given the multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary nature of youth development programmes, as well as the constant need for resources to implement them, Fiji had endeavored to collaborate with regional and interregional partners to implement the World Programme of Action, he said. It supported the Pacific Youth Strategy 2005; the Asia-Pacific position for the Lisbon World Conference; and the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment, adopted last May. Those documents should be accepted as official documents for the Conference, as they reflected the commitment to the objectives of developing young people for the new millennium. He thanked the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for providing funding assistance to enable Fiji to participate in the Conference.
GEORGE CRIN ANTONESCU, Minister for Youth and Sports, Romania, said youth policy must focus on education. Young people must have the means to adapt themselves to the socio-economic dynamic of their country and to learn about rapidly changing technology. They must be viewed as active citizens.
National policies must be developed to coordinate the activities of governments and NGOs, he continued. New structures were needed to support a
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partnership between the two in implementing and managing programmes for youth. National governments should establish legal foundations supporting youth participation. Romania had undertaken several programmes at the inter-sectoral level to prevent social exclusion and to integrate young people into societies. It had given special importance to international cooperation.
LILIAN URRUTIA, National Director for Youth, Chile, said young people must be educated in values, while they were taught skills needed to become active participants in the job market. That required an integrated youth policy as part of a strategic plan for development. Policies must be tailored to specific needs of youth, and efforts at the local level should be given priority.
National youth surveys in Chile had determined many needs of young people, she said. The development of her country depended on the development of young people; it meant that an investment in education must be made. Young people must be incorporated into the labour market. Chile's public policy targeted young people.
Participants at the Lisbon Conference must find ways to improve public policy which supported young people, she said. Resources must be pooled, and organizations addressing their needs must be strengthened. The development capacity of the State must be increased by including the human resource capacity of young people.
TALAL AL-HASSAN, Minister of Youth, Jordan, said that some 75 per cent of his country's population was below the age of 35. Consequently, his country was focusing on caring for that large part of its population and channelling its energies and abilities towards social service and development. The Ministry of Youth was establishing legislation and regulations to meet the needs of its youth and sports movement. Recognizing the need to think globally and build bridges of friendship, the Ministry held summer youth programmes with participants from several countries, as well as other programmes. The Government worked diligently to occupy the young person's free time in sports activities, which were beneficial on the physical, mental and intellectual levels. Through such activities, youth could be prevented from falling into the dangers of drug use and other harmful practices. Authorities dealing with youth action must develop formulas for cooperation, participation and integration, he said. Adults dealing with youth must set a good example. Authorities concerned with youth must draw attention to the concept of sports for all by supporting and promoting local, national, regional and global initiatives. Jordan recognized the need for world youth to learn to think critically, and to make the right decisions through intellectual freedom. Also, it stressed the importance of democracy as a pillar of society and human relations, and recognized the need for technology transfer related to youth, security, and protection from poverty, ignorance and disease.
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He called for a comprehensive review of previous efforts promoting youth participation, development and peace. He called on those bodies of the United Nations that dealt with youth, as well as on governments and international bodies, to intensify interaction among the world's youth; promote knowledge and skills; and facilitate access to information on topics of relevance to young people through strengthening communication networks and data exchange between countries and institutions.
EDUARD ZEMAN, Minister for Education, Youth and Sports, Czech Republic, said his country was currently finalizing State policy guidelines for its young generation. Nationally, positive changes had been experienced since 1989, especially in opportunities for secondary school and university-level education. However, within some ethnic groups, many children lacked basic education. This fact resulted in a core of unqualified youth who then became an easy target for criminality and other negative phenomena. Measures to address the situation included the reduction of the student/teacher ratio. Emphasis was being placed on the education of excluded groups such as Gypsy children and youth. The State was paying for training in professions which were in demand.
Drug abuse in the Czech Republic was a source of great concern, he said. The number of young people experimenting with drugs was increasing, while the age of first use was falling, partly due to the low cost of drugs. The best way to prevent such socially negative phenomena was to keep children and youth occupied. Several social sectors were involved in this effort, including State institutions and NGOs. Over 10 per cent of the young generation was organized in children and youth associations, while 50 per cent of youth were active in sports clubs. The Czech Republic would continue to provide proper conditions for the functioning of non-profit organizations and for providing the public with affordable leisure activities for children, youth and parents.
There was room for improvement in the participation of youth in the decision-making process on issues of concern to them, he said. Currently, efforts were being made to find efficient ways to meet the requirements of international agreements on youth. Among those, the country would be establishing a government council for children's rights in the near future.
AHMED MOUSSAOUI, Minister for Youth and Sports, Morocco, said every effort should be made to support international cooperation between young people. In Morocco, young people had always received special attention at the highest level. The Government had adopted a policy to improve educational opportunities for young people. The educational system would provide equal opportunity to all. With human capital the chief resources of Morocco, young graduates would be provided with the opportunity to work.
New technologies demanded that young people receive special preparation in terms of knowledge and civil sense, he said. Several bodies and
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organizations had been established to bring together youth groups in the area of culture, politics and economics. A system of youth dialogue had been developed at the local and regional level to allow them to develop solutions to their own problems.
PAVEL ZGAGA, State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Slovenia, said the Lisbon Conference was an opportunity for a broad exchange of knowledge and achievements of individual countries. It presented an excellent opportunity to create general policies based on common goals and commitments. Slovenia endorsed the proposed draft Lisbon declaration on youth and wished success to those responsible for putting agreements and obligations into action.
The recent period of transition faced by Slovenia and other nations in Central and Eastern Europe had left a specific imprint on aspects of life relevant to young people, he continued. Slovenia had launched a public debate on a proposed national plan for youth. The results of that dialogue would be presented to the Government this fall. Encouraging the active participation of youth in social affairs was a high priority. Recognizing the importance of education, Slovenia was making efforts to boost youth education, including a new programme of vocational training for young unemployed people. In addition to formal education, informal means of education and consciousness-raising were being utilized. The problems facing young people today could be solved through a well coordinated implementation of policies of different branches of government, including those related to education, employment, housing and health.
JASSEM MOHAMMAD AL-OWN, Minister for Social Affairs and Labour, Kuwait, said the Public Authority for Youth and Sports had been charged with developing young people's physical, moral, mental and artistic abilities and providing the means to ensure that young people became good citizens. Bad social circumstances, combined with ignorance, often resulted in the employment of children in industries that were not appropriate to their age or health and which led to an early end to childhood. Thankfully, the situation did not exist in Kuwait, due to family awareness and compliance with divine instructions which urge respect for children. The State sought to ensure a family structure that cared for its children.
No country was protected from narcotics, due to the nature of its trade. Kuwait was working hard to enlighten youth about drugs and to urge them to be involved in activities that assisted them in facing the danger. Young people had responded positively to such efforts. The Kuwaiti Constitution and national law ensured the right of Kuwaiti youth to education. Free education was provided from kindergarten through the university level; free medical services were provided to all people. Courses that prepared youth for employment and to keep up with scientific development were also provided.
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MAIT KLAASSEN, Minister of Education, Estonia, said the world was undergoing dramatic transformations at an ever-increasing pace. The economic, educational, health and social systems were being reorganized simultaneously in his country in the past seven years. He proposed the holding in the near future of a conference for youth organizations of those States that were in the process of developing a democratic system of government. Such a conference would benefit States undergoing transition, as well as those with long histories of democracy.
In Estonia's youth activities, the keywords were openness and cooperation, he said. Out-of-school activities were successful; annual youth information fairs had become a tradition. Activities had been started to prevent juvenile crime. The mobility of young people was a high priority. Estonia had strong contact with youth structures in several countries, and was particularly interested in the youth policies of European Union members and associated countries. It was particularly interested in learning positive lessons. To bring information to as many Estonian young people as possible, the country had planned for February 2000, a youth information fair with the theme of "Global Opportunities for Young People". It hoped to welcome delegations from any countries.
One of Estonia's problems was its decreasing birth rate: only 12,000 children were born in 1997 compared to 23,000 in 1990, he said. For the development of the State, citizens' associations were most important. Information affecting young people must be made available as a cornerstone to youth work. The "Tiger Leap" programme, initiated in 1996, aimed to provide Internet access to all Estonian schools by the year 2000. He invited Conference participants to contact youth organizations in Estonia, via the Internet. He provided the Education Ministry website: www.ee/HM, and the youth information database: www.edu.ee/nip.
IBRAHIMA GUEYE, Minister of Youth and Sports, Senegal, said young people were often viewed as a challenge or a problem; they should be viewed as a solution. Young people's problems were often the same as those resulting from development. Thus, there was need to review stereotypical solutions and broaden participation in the development of solutions. Young people in Africa and worldwide were increasingly being heard; however, they wanted greater access and more responsibility.
Since 1995, many programmes and projects had been set up under difficult conditions in Africa, he said. Youth programmes in Senegal had led to the creation of jobs, while a massive programme was designed to eradicate poverty. In particular, the eradication of illiteracy was receiving great focus. The Minister of Youth and Sports had been developing new programmes, including centres, to provide information to young people. A new programme regarding violence against women was to be approved shortly; the national youth council played an important role. Redressing the underemployment of young people was
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another national focus. Young people should be provided with the tools they needed to emerge from behind the obstacles that thwarted their potential.
The civic spirit of young people should be fostered to create a citizenry informed of its rights and responsibilities, he said. In all these endeavours, there was need to support South-South and North-South cooperation. Other concerns pertained to the plight of those affected by armed conflict, for which energetic action was needed. Better information regarding health must be provided to all persons, particularly the young. In the past, many expectations for enhancing the lives of young people had been foiled, but it was time now to work for a diverse world free from poverty and exclusion.
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