In a nation, young people are important assets. In fact, the progress of a nation depends on the ability of youth to make the siginificant changes. That’s what we can learn from the past history of Indonesia, also from the history of other nations in the world.

Who is the youth?

Actually, who is the youth? before entering into further discussion let us look at the definition of youth.

“Youth is the period between childhood and adulthood, described as the period of physical and psychological development from the onset of puberty to maturity and early adulthood.” (wikipedia)

“the time of life between childhood and maturity; early maturity; the state of being young or immature or inexperienced; the freshness and vitality characteristic of a young person”. (Princeton university)
“Youth … those persons falling between the ages of 15 and 24 years inclusive.” (United Nations General Assembly)
“Time in a person’s life between childhood and adulthood. The term” youth “in general refers to those who are between the ages of 15 to 24.” (World Bank)
The Commonwealth Youth Program works with “young people (aged 15-29).

Many say the youth was not seen from age but from his spirit. Youth was not seen from the physics but his mind and his action.

The power of youth

As we know, youth is the best phase of human life. It’s the phase when people have the best condition; strong, smart, hard worker, agile, and powerfull. History records the youth have made many change for their nations. Power of the youth to move the change is not indisputable.

Barack Obama has said,”the young people of any religion, in any country, has the ability to imagine the return of the world, to reshape the world.”

Soekarno, the first president of Indonesia has said, ”Give me a youth then I’ll shake Indonesia and Give me 10 youth then I’ll shake the world.”

These words is not wrong. we can look at the history of Indonesia. Indonesia’s history shows the real role of youth in important rounds of Indonesia, starting from the Youth Oath (1928), the proclamation of independence (1945), and 1998 events (overthrow of the dictator). We also can see from the other history of the world. Youth has important role to make the change!!!

Therefore, Ortega G. Yasset, on his thesis, has said that youths are the agent of change!!

How about us, the youth!!???

Let’s think.. how to make a change for a better world!! Maybe many of us that have dream to help the others.. and in order to help the others, we have to improve our skill, our knowledge, our education.. and everything that we must have to help each other..

There are so many problem out there.. for examples; global warming, poverty, ignorance, famine, war, environment destruvtion..

so, come on youth.. improve your skill, knowledge, personality and make a change for your community and country !! do you agree??

So, it’s better for you to join Youth Engagement Summit (YES) 2009!

It’s the event of south asian youth to unite and make the change for better southeast asean..

“The Youth Engagement Summit (YES2009) is a platform to create a cadre of engaged, active youth leaders dedicated to making positive changes happen in their communities and in the world. Youths are not just leaders of the future, they are today’s leaders in their own schools and communities.

Hence, it is with this in mind that the Youth Engagement Summit has been established to bring together youths, active youth leaders, world leaders in business, government, entertainment, and the general public to a platform where opinions, discussions and experiences can be shared.

The 2-day summit which is hosted in Kuala Lumpur this November, brings together some of the most inspiring, engaging Global Change Icons.”

You can join this programme by click this link http://indonesia.youthsays.com/seachange/go/n-l or http://youthsays.com/seachange, register your selef and make a change!!

When you win a trip to YES2009, your flight, hotel, and summit pass worth USD2,500 will be paid for. You will be joining 500 Southeast Asian youth to meet global change icons, right here in Kuala Lumpur.

here it is the sample video of the lucky one that has win the trip to YES2009 from Indonesia..

Khairul Umam,  ST

-graduated student  from Metallurgical and Material Engineering, University of Indonesia

-Student of Al Madinah International University

* Source picture (youth delivere the future) : http://www.jhsph.edu/bin/l/i/Youth_Logo_JPEG_300dpi.jpg