This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Encouragement for global ambition
07/08/2005
The World Youth Congress was told to be ambitious in
facing up to the challenges of achieving global peace and
security at its closing session in the Scottish Parliament
today.
In his first engagement following his summer holidays,
First Minister Jack McConnell said:
"Wherever you've come from, whatever your ambitions are,
wherever you end up, I urge you to take inspiration from
all that you've achieved at this World Youth Congress - to
keep your passion, to stand up against injustice, and to
keep working for change.
"Be ambitious in the way you challenge the most
important issues facing us all. Climate change,
international development - and now, more than ever, help
foster mutual understandings between cultures and
religions.
"I can assure you that in Scotland, young Scots will be
encouraged to help meet those challenges too. We believe in
the power of young people participating in politics and we
believe young people should be internationalists.
"Global peace and security will be found through an
understanding and appreciation of different cultures,
religions and traditions."
The Scottish Executive hosted the 3rd World Youth
Congress, in conjunction with the UK-based charity Peace
Child International, and with the support of the youth and
sustainable development sectors in Scotland and the wider
world.
The first two Congresses were held in Hawaii in 1999,
and Morocco in 2003. The fourth Congress is expected to be
held in Canada in 2008.
The Congress was based at Stirling University, beginning
on July 30 and ending today. It has brought together 540 of
the world's most dynamic young people in the fields of
social and environmental sustainable development, from 120
different countries.
3. The Congress is focussed on what young people are
doing to achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs), and will see delegates sharing and building on
their own experience, joining forces with young people from
across the UK to work on community action projects across
Scotland, and working with international development
professionals to identify how best governments, aid
agencies and young people can come together to achieve the
MDGs.
4. There are currently 28,045 overseas students living
and studying in Scotland.
5. The First Minister launched the Fresh Talent project
in February 2004 to encourage people from across the world
to come to Scotland to live and work. The project is
designed to address the problem of Scotland's falling and
ageing population and will help create a more dynamic
economy. For more information visit:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2004/02/5123
6. Steps are being taken to increase the international
focus of Scottish education. For example, over the next 3
years £350,000 will be granted to the British Council
Scotland to promote and administer a Scottish Summer School
initiative in China, where 120 young Scots will learn
Mandarin and experience Chinese culture and way of life.
The initiative will also encourage Chinese teachers to come
to Scotland to teach mandarin and assist Scots to travel to
China as English Language Assistant.
7. The Scottish Executive Education Department are
currently working with a number of organisations with a
view to increasing resources to develop awareness and
participation in Africa, with the focus on Malawi. We are
considering the development of existing school links
(through the Global Schools Partnership Programme) and also
through enhancing funding to existing schemes such as
teacher training and exchange schemes such as the Global
Teacher Programme, League of Exchange of Commonwealth
Teachers programme and also Link Community Development
programme.