Pretoria - The upcoming 17th World Festival of Youth & Students is expected to lay a foundation for Africa's youth's voice to be heard in the world, says Minister in the Presidency, Collins Chabane.
"The festival will have enormous benefits for the youth of South Africa. It presents [them] with an opportunity to make contribution towards the shaping of policies locally and internationally in the interest of advancing solidarity, peace and democracy," Minister Chabane said, speaking ahead of the event to be held in December.
More than 30 000 youths from various countries across the world are expected to converge in Johannesburg to deliberate on issues that pertain to young people, including building a world of peace, solidarity and social transformation, free of human rights abuses.
This will be the first time the event is held in southern Africa in its 65 year history.
Organised by the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) in collaboration with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the festival will be held under the theme "Let's defeat imperialism, for a world of peace, solidarity and social transformation".
Chabane added that the festival will foster lasting positive relations with countries of the world that will lead to the development of youth in South Africa.
He hoped the event would also lead to improved consolidation of South Africa's national agenda for youth development and empowerment in South Africa.
NYDA Chairperson Andile Lungisa said the festival will also teach the youth to look after their own countries.
