A two-day National Youth Sustainable Development Forum was opened on Tuesday, May 17 in Nuku’alofa bringing together youth leaders who plan to come up with an action plan for the development of a Tonga National Youth Policy.

Princess Latufuipeka Tuku’aho, Patron of Tonga’s National Youth Congress, who opened the forum at the Fa’onelua Convention Centre, said youth are one of her most precious concerns.

“I have confidence that the next two-days will increase awareness and raise understanding on the priorities of our youth and that we would be able to develop a National Vision for our youth sector," she said.

Faautu Talapusi, Consultant at the Social and Human Services from UNESCO, a funding partner, said this forum looks at different points of view on how youth should be involved in the development of Tonga and moving the country forward together.

“The understanding of UNESCO is that a national youth policy would address and streamline how to address problems and challenges that young people are facing, doing it from a policy level so that it can be implemented right down to the grassroot level."

UNESCO with UNDP helps to provide technical assistance to the local stakeholder, the Ministry of Internal Affairs Youth Division to draft this policy and move this process forward.This is the first step, she said.

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Internal Affairs said stakeholders included representatives from different youth groups from each district, government and NGOs who work directly with youth groups in various areas like sports such as the National Youth Congress, Tonga Netball Association and others.

The forum began yesterday with a look into the Tonga Strategic Development Framework II and how it relates to youth in general and the National Youth Strategy. It then moved into sessions looking at various thematic areas: Youth, Culture and Arts, Youth, Health and Sports, Youth and Business, Youth, Environment and Climate Change. Today they would discuss Youth, Politics, Youth and Technology, she said.

The forum is funded by UNDP, UNESCO, UN Women, Pacific Leadership Program with the Ministry of Internal Affairs.