In 2019, the Rays of Youth celebrates its 10th anniversary of activity along the Thai-Myanmar border!
On 20 September 2019, the Rays of Youth decided to combine the celebrations for the 10th anniversary with the day that marks the most important youth-led initiative of the year: the National Youth Day! On the 20th of September of every year, Thailand commemorates the birth dates of Khing Chulalongkorn and Ananda Mahidol in the form of the “National Youth Day” (Thai: Wan Yaowchon Haeng Chat). On this occasion the Rays of Youth Thailand project organises a youth-led event to gather young adolescents in Mae Sot and its surroundings, spread awareness and knowledge on issues that are relevant for their lives along the border in a mix of entertainment, art and fun.
In 2019, the National Youth Day was organised with the theme “We’re SMART”! The objective of the event was to empower adolescents and youth with understanding of basic human rights, child protection, safe migration and positive gender norms, use relevant information, skills and services to exercise and claim their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The celebrations saw the alternance of music, drama, and cultural performances to educate on adolescent health and safe migration, as well as booth, exhibitions, and participatory educational activities on education, health, rights and life skills.
The youth also had the chance to join three different competitions that grew their confidence, stimulated their creativity, inspired and motivated them:
- Art competition "Today a Child, Tomorrow a Leader": partecipated by students in migrant learning centres who prepared drawings inspired to the motto of the Rays of Youth;
- "SMART Knowledge" competition: a youth representative on the stage sit on a panel and answered questions of general knowledge on the situation along the Thai-Myanmar border;
- "We're SMART" Talent Show: young adolescents showed their abilities and expressed their understanding of diversity, gender equality and other social issues in a creative way
On the same day, members of the fourth group of youth trained through the Leadership Program and the third group trained through the Music Program celebrated the end of their own training. Now they are ready to go back to their schools and communities and give back through sharing what they have learned through the Rays of Youth Project.
More than 100 members of the Rays of Youth Network Group collaborated in the organisation of the event and strenghtened their capacity in taking an active role in organising this unique youth-led initiative.
Youth empowerment and creativity were the key elements of a day full of energy and talent that inspired youth and adults. More than 400 participants came from Migrant Learning Centres, Thai Government Schools, NGOs, Government Organisations, and other local stakeholders in migrant education.
Help without Frontiers is grateful for the support of Diakonia, Plan International Thailand, and the Foundation for Child Development, who believe in the key role of youth in driving social change.
Check out the video of the event here.
