Pretoria - The acting Director General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Asogan Moodley, on Wednesday called on young people to participate in the projects of reconstruction and development of the country.
He was speaking at a Youth Conference organised by the department and the National Youth Development Agency aimed at raising awareness about events taking place during the Youth Month of June.
June 16 (Youth Day) will be celebrated tomorrow at Orlando Stadium in Soweto under the theme 'Youth action for economic freedom in our lifetime.'
"We are calling on the young people gathered here today to remember the sacrifices the past generation had to go through for all of us to gain this freedom and urge all of you to take part in the initiatives that strive to make this country better ... while the youth of 1976 fought for political freedom, your task is different," Moodley said.
The South African population was dominated by young people and it was for this reason that they needed to take centre stage in the country's affairs.
"Young people today are faced with a different task and that is to ensure economic emancipation, therefore, their participation in the country's affairs, including the economy, is of paramount importance.
"There are many other projects, including volunteers, who can count on the participation of youth," said Moodley, citing environmental programmes, such as re-foresting some areas of the country, as examples of what youth could participate in.
Susanna Chung, who is the youngest Ambassador to come out of the department, also shared her experiences as a young person serving the country on an international stage. She had spent four years representing South Africa in Geneva.
"In this field you learn to embrace people, their cultures, language and the way of living is a skill that should come naturally to all of us ... it is possible for you, which ever position you hold to make a difference in your communities," she said
As a South African diplomat, she had gained the respect of her peers in both developing and developed nations.
