Latest: Fiji rural youths for forum
February 16th, 2011YOUTHS from rural areas in Naitasiri and Nausori got a chance to speak about the issues affecting them at a two-day forum last week.
The forum was organised by Live & Learn Environmental Education with the theme ‘building grassroot democracy in Fiji’ and was held at the Navatuvula Village in Naitasiri on Thursday and at the Nausori Parish Hall on Friday.
A media release issued by Live & Learn on Friday said the forum would provide an opportunity for strengthening the capacity of young people living in grassroots communities to take on sustainable development initiatives within their communities.
William Young of Live & Learn said the Youth Forum would set in place a platform for a national forum planned later in the year.
Mr Young said the forum provides a platform for young people to come and articulate the opportunities and challenges they face through dialogue.
He said the organisation believed that through this initiative youths would begin to establish networks and key support units for advocating for democracy in grassroots communities. Live & Learn Environmental Education is funded by the European Union and it has 28 communities from around the country within provinces of Cakaudrove, Bua, Macuata, Tailevu, Ra, Ba, Namosi, Serua, Naitasiri and Lomaiviti.
The discussions and views expressed by the young people during the forum would be used to compile the ‘discovering democracy toolkit’ for other young people.
Mr Young said the need for such capacity has been identified during Live & Learn and other organisations past decade of working with young people in Fiji
