By Nirmal Adhikari
Beni Bazar, Myagdi

“As youths of today take Red Cross leadership tomorrow, they need to get prepared by developing positive thinking and leadership skill,” said Nepal Red Cross Society Chairman Sanjeev Thapa opening the national conference of juniors and youths organized by Myagdi district chapter and hosted by Prakash Secondary School at Beni Bazar.

The twenty eighth national conference of juniors and youths circles of the NRCS was held from 27th to 28th April 2008 in Myagdi district. One hundred thirty three junior/youth representatives along with teacher sponsor of 45 districts and ninety one participants from local circles attended the conference. NRCS leadership, district level government authorities, local leaders and UNICEF representative also attended the opening session.

“Through leadership skill development, the juniors and youths need to develop their capacity for taking future leadership that would play a significant role to give an image of a good society” said Secretary General Dev Ratna Dhakhwa in the inaugural ceremony.

During the conference, Member Secretary of the Central Junior/Youth Committee presented annual progress report of the year 2007 and proposed programmes for the next year. The participants shared their experiences of working in challenging situation, recommended ways and means for organizational development, and submitted proposals for implementation. The juniors and youths who had gone to Norway and Japan shared their experiences of the visit. Ms Vibeke Vatne Larsen, Norwegian youth delegate, also shared her experiences of working in Nepal on youth volunteer management and trafficking.

The participants made group discussion on sanitation, blood transfusion, safer assess and on disaster management. The discussions were facilitated by NRCS headquarter staff and representatives from the ICRC and UNICEF. Mr. Umesh Prasad Dhakal, Executive Director, had involved in overall facilitation during the sessions. At last, the conference ended with Beni Declaration for the programmes and priorities of the year 2008.

“It has been easier for us to advocate about Nepal Red Cross in national and international fora due to the activities run by juniors and youths,” said J/Y Red Cross Central Committee Chairman Devendra Bahadur Pradhan. “Challenges are to be taken as opportunities for organizational development,” he added.

Mr. Hari Prasad Neupane, Immediate Past Chairman of the Central Junior/Youth Committee, was honored in the conference for his 12 years contribution for the junior/youth organizational development.

‘Having been observed the geographical challenges, it came to me how Nepal Red Cross has been working with people closely,” said Kris Binon, Country Delegate of the Belgian Red Cross.

A UNICEF representative made a presentation focusing on the key messages of the sanitation programmes run by the UNICEF and Nepal Red Cross.

Myagdi Chapter, which built up its capacity to organize successfully a national level conference with a gathering of more than 400 people in spite of geographical complexity, inspired the other chapters for organizing such conferences in the future. The managerial capacity and hospitality shown by the chapter made the event unforgettable.