19th December, 2002
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports  


NATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL 2003 TO BE HELD IN THIRUVANANTHAPURAM


The VIIIth National Youth Festival will be held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, from January 12 to 16, 2003. This festival is organised every year on January 12, as the day is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and is also observed as the National Youth Day.

This year the festival is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India and the Government of Kerala. The National Youth Festival is like a mega national integration camp. It is expected that approximately 2, 500-3,000 young persons will participate in the festival this year. While delegates from SAARC countries and Egypt have been invited to the festival, young artisans from youth clubs will also be participating in ‘Yuva Kriti’ – a social development fair.

The dominant theme for the festival is usually chosen from a theme, which is both topical and relevant for the youth of the country. The theme of the festival this year is "Yuva aivam Vishwa Chunauti". The last festival was held at Hissar, Haryana this year. Competitions will be held in 16 individual items and two group items. The individual items will include one act play, classical vocal solo, classical dance and elocution etc. During the festival, the National Youth Awards to outstanding youth clubs will be given. An interesting highlight of the festival would be an item called ‘Suvichar’, wherein the youth will get a chance to interact with chosen eminent personalities from different fields.

Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Railways has granted 50% concession to all the participants of the festival.

The National Steering Committee on VIIIth National Youth Festival was chaired by the Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Shri Vikram Verma here today. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri A.K. Antony and the Minister of State for Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation, Shri O. Rajgopal attended the meeting.