The Youth for Governance (Y4G) Fellowship program is a unique 9-month program designed to expose 25 youth of Mysuru from various colleges and educational streams, to different aspects of governance and encourage them to become agents of change through live projects.
Aug 20, Mysuru: GRAAM in association with Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), Hanns Siedel Foundation, and the University of Mysore celebrated International Youth Day at the Vjinana Bhavan, UoM campus on Saturday.
The Youth for Governance (Y4G) Fellowship program is a unique 9-month program designed to expose 25 youth of Mysuru from various colleges and educational streams, to different aspects of governance and encourage them to become agents of change through live projects. It is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) and implemented by Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) and Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement (GRAAM). The multidisciplinary cohort is understanding community dynamics, democratic structures, and tools for effective governance through theoretical learning sessions and group projects.
A number of engaging events were organized to nudge people to think about different ways of creating a better Mysuru for all ages. These included competitions like Street Theatre, Poster Making, and a Quiz, along with discussions with youth icons and subject experts. A significant number of enthusiasts turned up for the event.
Young voices and opinions were sought on ‘Role of Youth in Building Better Mysuru’ in a poster-making competition. Both hand made and digital posters were put on display. The quiz competition attracted over 100 young people from across Mysore who were enthralled by the topic ‘History, Culture, and Governance of Mysuru’. There was a very enthusiastic audience and every question passed by the contestants was answered by the audience. A Street Theatre competition created more opportunities for public dialogue and addressed key issues of Mysuru.
On this occasion, Dr. Basavaraju R Shrestha Executive Director of GRAAM moderated a discussion with Mr Ramesh Kikkeri, a sustainability expert, and Dr Nagaraj, Health officer of Mysuru City Corporation after they judged the poster-making competition. The judges shared interesting and successful initiatives undertaken by individuals and the City Corporation.
In an insightful discussion, the Youth icon and the first woman chairperson of CII, Mysuru chapter, Supriya Salian inspired the youngsters attending the event. Nikita Rakhyani from PRIA and Dr Chandana G Gowda a Y4G Fellow moderated the session. Ms Saliyan said “I get a lot of opportunities to engage with young people as part of my work – young people question things which gives me satisfaction in their abilities.”
Vice Chancellor of the University of Mysore, Prof G Hemanth Kumar addressed the gathering and presided over the valedictory event. In the valedictory session, the panelists shared inspiring and motivating thoughts with young people in contributing to building a better Mysuru. Dr Basavaraju, Rahul Khera, Program Manager of Hanns Siedel Foundation, Dr Jyothi HP, Chairperson of the Department of Social Work of UoM were a part of the valedictory. To add to the success of the event, Prasad School of Rhythm students gave a magical music performance.