By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Reiterating the PTI government’s commitment towards making Pakistan green and clean, Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that the Green Youth Movement (GYM) would play a significant role in mitigating the climate change impacts on environment.
The minister expressed these remarks while inaugurating the Green Youth Movement under the Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan Programme at the Convention Centre, Islamabad, on Thursday.
Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul, Special Adviser to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar, Country Director British Council Pakistan Amir Ramzan, Chairperson Higher Education Commission Shaista Sohail along with a large number of youth and students from various universities as well as stakeholders in education sector attended the ceremony.
Federal Minister Asad Umar said that Pakistan is facing climate change challenges as it is the 10th most affected country of the world bearing the brunt of the climate change. He, however, said that new dams are being constructed that will be completed in next five to seven years.
Explaining about the Green Youth Movement, the minister said that this initiative will prove to be a milestone in engaging youth, enhancing their capacity building as well as skills and approaching towards growth of Pakistan.
Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said that the Kamyab Jawan Program has enabled the youth towards better decision making. These programs are designed under the prime minister’s vision of producing a skilled young generation to ensure betterment and prosperity of the country.
Addressing the audience, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar said that the PTI has launched Kamyab Jawan Programme that has played a key role in jobs creation, engaging youth and creating business opportunities in the country.
The green champions under the Green Youth Movement initiative will represent Pakistan in other countries and learn new approaches to address the climate change, he added.
In his remarks, Country Director British Council Pakistan Amir Ramzan said that the British Council is delighted to partner with the government of Pakistan on Kamyab Jawan’s Green Youth Movement. It is the initiative that will define the future of our youth, he remarked.
Chairperson Higher Education Commission Shaista Sohail said that the Green Youth Movement initiative, in collaboration with British Council and School of Leadership Foundation (SoLF) will engage 137 universities and 2.5 million youth for this initiative. More than 65,000 jobs will be created from this initiative, she said.
The GYM is part of the PM’s Kamyab Jawan Programme under which several initiatives have been taken to make youth of the country a potential instrument required to make the country progressive. Other initiatives of the PM’s Kamyab Jawan Programme include Loan Scheme, Skill Scholarship, National Youth Council, Green Youth Movement, Kamyab Jawan Markaz, Kamyab Jawan Innovation League and Tigers Force (the volunteers).
The GYM initiative is being supported by British Council’s new youth leadership programme called “Pakistan Youth Leadership Initiative” through technical support via trainings, digital engagement and international linkages. The School of Leadership Foundation (SoLF) is extending its support to the British Council in mobilizing the youth and create GYM clubs across 137 public sector universities through Green Elections.
The British Council will invest 2.8 million pounds to support the Green Youth Movement initiative, whereas the Pakistan government has already invested Rs. 238 million for this much-needed initiative.
