Dialog Partners Ministry of Youth & Sports to Empower Youth of Sri Lanka with ‘Youth Can’

L-R: Anuradha Wijekoon - Secretary to the Ministry of Youth & Sports, Hon. Namal Rajapaksa - Minister of Youth & Sports and the State Minister of Digital Technology and Enterprise Development, Supun Weerasinghe - Director / Group Chief Executive – Dialog Axiata PLC

Creating an island-wide platform to unearth, guide, and empower the talented youth of Sri Lanka, Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka's premier connectivity provider, together with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, launched the country's first-ever national-level youth coalition, 'Youth Can’ on International Youth Day.

Through this initiative, Dialog will be enabling the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Youth Services Council (NYSC) to find hidden talent and groom Sri Lankan youth. Further supported by the Department of Manpower and Employment, Small Enterprise Development Division (SED) and Department of Sports Development, this programme aims to recognise talented individuals and equip them with opportunities to achieve their dreams in their respective fields of interest.

This three-year programme will be focused on canvassing youth-led start-ups and individuals across the country, within the age bracket of 14 to 35 years in 6 categories – sports, entrepreneurship, crafts, fashion design, culinary and short film. Applicants with a long-term growth mindset and a diverse, unique or innovative talent, idea or skillset will be chosen. Throughout the year, Dialog will continue to empower them with workshops to better develop their personal brand and equip them with the relevant tools and training to market themselves better. The talent selection panel will consist of representatives from the National Youth Services Council, Department of Manpower and Employment, Small Enterprise Development Division and the Department of Sports Development, while operating under the aegis of the Minister of Youth and Sports. Interested applicants can visit the www.youthcan.lk website to access information regarding this Youth Talent Identification and Empowerment Programme and submit their applications.

Commenting on the partnership Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Youth & Sports and the State minister of Digital Technology and Enterprise Development stated “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dialog Axiata on behalf of the Ministry of Youth & Sports for their tireless efforts in youth welfare, youth participation and most importantly in collaborating with us in paving the way for the youth. Through this partnership we have enabled a platform for the youth to succeed in the world and in the coming years, we will have the ability to facilitate an empowering environment for future global youth leaders.”

Anuradha Wijekoon, Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports stated “I would like to extend my thanks to Dialog Axiata for joining hands with the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Their support will enable us to take forward our agenda for the future developments in the country’s youth and sports sector. We have a long but fruitful journey ahead of us, but this partnership is built on a prospective foundation and we positively look forward to taking on this project and all future collaborations with Dialog in the years to come”.

Speaking at the occasion Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC stated “The youth are our country’s biggest asset, as they play a critical role in the development of Sri Lanka’s social, economic and cultural landscape. We are pleased to have embarked on this journey with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to empower the youth of our nation to win the Future.Today.”