12 August:
International Youth Day
The International Youth Day (IFD) is celebrated annually on August 12 since 2000. The objective of the world-wide event is to invite governments, NGOs and other organizations and institutions to empower the young people and engage them in social action and initiatives for achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN proposes a theme for every IYD to focus on a particular issue that affects the world. The theme of the current year is Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages. The UNO places before the world the challenges arising of ageism—the thinking, feeling and acting that arises on account of age.
Over 1.2 billion people in the world are youth. This is a colossal human resource that can be harnessed and employed to better the world—to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. I propose a three-fold strategy for maximum utilization of youth power in the world:
- Empower and employ through quality education: Young people need to be prepared to contribute to the world through quality education and skill training. Unemployment is very high in the third world and in the developing countries owing to lack of quality education. Education is a powerful means of empowering the young to find a respectable place in society and make a significant contribution to it.
- Liberate through holistic education: The current reality of the major portion of youth population is enslavement of erroneous ideologies, pornography, personal and social media abuse, alcohol and substance abuse, etc. We cannot think of harnessing the youth power unless they are set free from any form of slavery. Our social, religious and educational interventions have to focus on freeing the young mind, body and soul from any form of entrapment.
- Translate youth power into social action: The 2016 UN report gives account of the 17 ways in which the young people all over the world are bringing about changes in the societies and nations. Given the opportunity and the right motivation, the young can be a strong force for social change. Obviously, they need to be prepared adequately and accompanied in their initiatives and actions.
21 August:
Senior Citizen’s Day
World Senior Citizen’s Day, observed on August 21, is meant to create awareness of the issues and concerns of the older adults, namely, health deterioration and abuse and to recognize, acknowledge and to express gratitude to the aging generation for their contribution to the society, nations and the world at large.
Three Basic Attitudes
Here are two foundational assumptions to help us change our attitude and behaviour towards the elderly:
Focus on a person’s true worth: In the world ruled by the principle of use and throw, we need to return to the foundational understanding of a human person. He/she is beautiful and worthwhile beyond and above his/her economic contribution or usefulness. A person is worthy of love and acceptance and care just because he/she is a human being—an image of God. The world stands in need of this supernatural vision, particularly towards the sick and the elderly.
Awareness of mutual giftedness: In one of his books, Fr Henri Nouwen, world-famous author, talks of a young man called Adam whom he looked after. Adam was born with severe multiple handicaps, both physical and mental. He was completely dependent on others for everything—gettng up,, brushing his teeth, bathing, eating, moving. In caring for him, Henri Nouwen became deeply aware that they were gifts to each other. Both gave and received love from each other. The most beautiful truth of life is that no matter who a person is, he/she is a gift. The world must take pains to discover the giftedness of the elderly. In turn, the elderly have to make effort to see the giftedness of the younger generation.
Gratitude: We owe so much to the elderly and to previous generations. Whatever we enjoy and use—medicines, clothes, modes of travel, buildings, food items—are not things we invented. We owe it all to previous generations and to the older persons in our midst. We owe more than we realize or admit to our parents, teachers, employees, doctors, nurses, who have do so much for us ever since our conception and birth. We cannot pay them adequately for this. The least we can do is to look after them lovingly and gratefully, learn from their wisdom (and their mistakes) and to try to improve on that, without denying the huge capital we have become of those who are older and those who have lived before us.
Fr Shilanand Kerketta SDB
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