Indian Ambassador meets Maldivian delegates participating in SAYS

Indian Ambassador to Maldives, Akhilesh Mishra has met with the Maldivian delegates participating in the 1st South Asian Youth Summit (SAYS).

SAYS 2017 is scheduled to begin in the Eastern Indian city of Bhubaneswar on September 17.

Ambassador Mishra hosted the Maldivian delegates participating in the Summit at the Indian Cultural Center last Wednesday evening.

The meeting was attended by Founder and President of Regional Alliance for Fostering Youth (RAFY) NGO, Aishath Rafiyya; Director-General of Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ali Zaki; and 25 young Maldivian delegates.

During the meeting, Ambassador Mishra stressed the importance of nurturing the age-old ties between neighboring India and Maldives, especially among the youth.

Mishra noted that the youth population dominated both Maldives and India, and spoke about how youth summits and programs will lead to new experiences for the youth of both countries.

He re-affirmed the commitment of the Indian government to supporting such programs, and commended Aishath Rafiyya and RAFY NGO for the initiative.

SAYS; organized by the International Youth Committee (IYC) and the government of India and the State of Odisha creates a platform for the youth of South East Asian countries to come together and discuss the issues they face and generate solutions.

The Summit will be held from September 17 – 20 with 400 delegates from South East Asian countries and observers from world powers such as United States, Japan, China and European Union.

The Maldivian contingent includes 40 delegates – the highest number of delegates from any one individual country except for the hosts, India. The delegates include officials from RAFY NGO, leading youngsters, musicians, and journalists.

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