According to Joe Aitaro, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 2010 Palau National Youth Convention, they aim to pass a resolution or declaration.
“This convention has several purposes,” said Aitaro. “First is to revise the National Youth Policy that was developed in 2005. Second is to look at the National Policy, and to note it. And third is for us to discuss the possibility of creating another Palau National Youth Body, such as the one we used to have back in the 80s.”
For this particular convention, Aitaro said that what they want to do is to have the delegates of each State provide them with youth issues in their particular state, and they will look at these issues and see if they are still relevant today.
“We need to know the issues; and we need to see if these are really the issues or are there something else,” he explained. For example, the issue on marijuana, he said they need to understand if it is really the marijuana that’s the issue or the law enforcement, accessibility or the role of parents.
Aitaro said that if ever they are going to create a National Youth Body, they need to determine its purpose. Is it going to be the voice of the youth? Will it be there to set up grants?
“And hopefully this Palau National Youth Body would look into the issues that are passed on the convention,” Aitaro shared. They will see how it relates to the National Youth policy and then continue to work, to get programs and answers to issues which, he said, will be discussed on a daily basis.
Aitaro said the convention is an avenue for all the States to get together and try to come up with solutions to the issues regarding the youth.
The organizing committee has been working with the States for about two months now. And they have been fortunate to get a grant from the Australian government for $12,000, mainly for the administration and promotion of the Palau National Youth Convention.
Each state will be doing its own activities — softball games, small lunches, other youth games — during the youth convention over the weekend.
