Plans have been made to conduct an anti-drug youth summit on June 26 in line with the “A Nation United” national programme aimed at eradicating the drug menace, according to a statement issued by the President’s Media Division.
A discussion on initial organisational arrangements was held this afternoon (21) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The summit has been jointly organised by the National Youth Services Council and the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to coincide with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The objective is to mobilise youth at the grassroots level to free the younger generation from drug abuse and to demonstrate the rejection of drug traffickers by Sri Lanka’s youth.
Survey reports indicate that Sri Lanka’s younger generation is increasingly facing severe social, economic and health-related setbacks due to drug abuse, the statement said.
The reports further show that the youth population between the ages of 20 and 35 have been the most affected. This has had a significant impact on the productivity of the country’s workforce.
As a major government initiative to eradicate this menace and rescue the youth from its grip, the “A Nation United” national programme has been launched.
Extensive discussions were held during the meeting regarding the plans and preliminary organisational activities of the anti-drug youth summit, PMD added.
Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Nalaka Kaluwewe, Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Aruna Bandara, Media Advisor to the President Chandana Sooriyabandara, Director General of Government Information Harsha Bandara, Chairman of the National Youth Services Council Supun Wijeratne, heads of relevant institutions and senior officers of the Tri-Forces and Police were among those present at the occasion.
--PMD--
