Youth leaders to meet in Vienna

JAKARTA (JP): Youth organization representatives from over 150 countries will gather for the second World Youth Forum in Vienna from Nov. 25 through Nov. 29.

The United Nations is holding the event to promote the implementation of the World Program of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, which the UN General Assembly adopted last year.

Some 350 people, representing the UN's youth-related entities and other intergovernmental agencies will take part.

Several youth affairs' ministers will attend the forum's final session. The office of Indonesia's Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports could not be contacted for confirmation whether Minister Hayono Isman will participate in the forum.

Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitszky will open the forum in the Vienna City Hall but the meeting will take place in the Vienna International Center.

Discussions will center on a number of priority issues related to world programs. These are: the relationship between youth and education and leisure activities, employment, health and population, poverty, the environment and sustainable development, human settlements, drug abuse, delinquency, tolerance, racism and xenophobia, girls and young women, participation and rights, and communication.

The meeting hopes to improve communication between youth organizations and the UN system, and start new projects between the organizations and the UN.

According to the United Nations Information Center in Jakarta, the UN Secretary-General will report the forum's results to the General Assembly next year.

The meeting is being co-hosted by the Austrian Federal Youth Council. (swe)