Sri Lanka marks National Youth Day with islandwide launch of youth clubs

National Youth Services Council (NYSC) has launched a landmark initiative to establish “Youth Clubs” across all Grama Niladhari Divisions in Sri Lanka, aiming to enhance youth engagement and community development nationwide.

Addressing a media briefing at the Department of Government Information on Wednesday (22), Chairman of the NYSC and Attorney-at-Law Supun Wijeratne announced that the council will facilitate the creation of 14,033 Youth Clubs, targeting young people aged 15 to 29. He emphasized that this is one of the largest projects undertaken by the NYSC within a single year.

The initiative commemorates the first-ever National Youth Conference held on May 23, 1983, a historic event that inspired the annual observance of National Youth Day in Sri Lanka.

“The Youth Club network will offer a platform for young people to contribute to their communities, develop leadership skills, and engage in volunteerism,” Wijeratne said. He added that the clubs will also serve as a foundation for the formation of a National Youth Federation later this year.

According to the NYSC, the second phase of the project involves establishing youth clubs at the Divisional Secretariat level from May 30 to July 15, followed by district-level implementations from June 1 to July 31.

Culminating the initiative, the NYSC plans to host a National Youth Conference at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on August 12 to mark International Youth Day. During the event, youth representatives from across the country will convene to formally launch the National Youth Federation.

The NYSC also revealed plans to build the country’s largest youth volunteer organization during the period from National Youth Day to International Youth Day