Since the dawn of new millennium, in different conferences around differently shaped tables different people have been discussing many different things about the different courses of action that could be taken for the betterment of the people who are different from them, yet with a universal indifference to the fact that those tables did not feature anybody that’s benefitted through the difference they were trying to make.
Then along with the tagline “Leave No-one Behind.”, the voices of the younger generation who wanted to be heard, got together from all over the world under the wings of Leonard Cheshire Disability services in the year 2013as the Global Young Voices in Nairobi Kenya.
With the participation of twenty-two countries from around the globe, they’ve made their way forward so far amidst many obstacles while passing numerous milestones that they achieved in different levels within the last three years since 2009 where Global Young Voices has been initiated.
 

                                                                                                                                              

As the Young Voices representative from Sri Lanka I was privileged to be a part of this gathering held in Nairobi from the 22^nd until the 25th of October. The event was known as the global Young Voices Conference 2013 and it was all about inclusion and sustainability of the movement.
Right from the beginning the conference presented me ample unprecedented experiences. Although conferences of international caliber weren’t anything new to me, the novelty of communicative competencies’ and the refreshing positivity in attitudes of the people who conducted this discourse, inspired me immensely.
The two highlights of the very first day for me, have been gently encapsulated thus within just one beautiful click that speaks a gazillion words.
 
                                                                                                                                                            

Mr. Washington (The Gentleman in the picture to the right), the Regional Advocacy manager of Leonard Cheshire Disabilities was the first person I saw, conducting a session using sign language with the aid of a sign language interpreter while the outstanding talent of the Kenyan Young Voices was brought to life by Miss. Nicole Mballah (the young Lady in the picture to the left) as she sang the welcome song for all the participants at the outset.
With such a vibrant commencement, the three days passed by with many points to learn and plenty of inspiration to share.
In yet another important session Ms. Libby Powell, a media pro from the United Kingdom who has dedicated her career for the people with Disabilities through her communication rights organization known as Radar, empowered the gathering with effective and condensed communication strategies.
Then came the roundtable time for the attendees to reflect and plan ahead. The discussion was focused on four major areas: Education, Livelihood, Inclusive Development in post-2015 global youth agenda and of course the way forward for the Global Young Voices.
Very many valuable inputs received from the Young Voices representatives were accumulated to compile a draft known as Global Young Voices Call to Action. This document is expected to enhance the policy level regulations included in the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in order to meet the implementation level that could be enacted world-wide.
Since I got the opportunity to contribute to the drafting of the aforesaid document along with another participant from India, I’m very positive about my role in the future activities of the Global Young Voices.
Yet in fact, Global Young Voices has reached a challenging juncture at this phase because the funds extended to this project by the European Union has come to an end. I feel further excited About this situation because I was able to thus actively contribute at such a decisive stage of this organization so that I would treasure my own small happiness of being a part of a course directed at the people like myself that will be uplifted to the functional level again through the means devised by the very people like myself.