Led by a contemporary generation

August 12 is designated as International Youth Day. This year's theme is “Inter-Generational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages”. It refers to the cross-generational measures needed to realise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and that no one is left behind.

To commemorate it, the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) organised an international forum that involved its president, Mohd Izzat Afifi with youth leaders from various countries. I’m invited to deliver welcoming remarks.

As Minister of Foreign Affairs, I adopt the youth empowerment approach.

Wisma Putra-MBM Youth Task Force has been established. It comprises youth leaders to facilitate their participation in making foreign policy decisions and partaking in certain international delegations.

On August 6th, I inaugurated the ‘Diplomasi Lab’ organised by MyDiplomacy, a movement that aims to bring youths closer to diplomacy. It involves four focuses: community, career, discussion and consultation; and provides them with fellowships, scholarships, conferences and exchange programs.

Last June, the group, which is chaired by Elisa Shafiqah, organised a "National

Youth Round Table" which brought together youth representatives from International Relations (IR) associations in Malaysia to discuss IR issues and national diplomacy scenarios involving youth.

I have received their report, which contains three components, namely the position of the IR degrees in Malaysia, the gaps that students go through in IR studies, as well as suggestions to increase student participation.

As a matter of fact, we need a quantum leap in youth empowerment, especially in decision-making in all areas at every level.

This is articulated by Raja Ahmad Aminullah in his latest book, The bell has Rung: Time for a New Generation, which I had the honour of launching on August 6th.

This book discusses several things that trouble the rakyat, namely corruption, compromised elites, white elephant projects, the division of the people, politics for personal wealth, and the lack of intellectuals that enlighten the nation.

For the future of the country, he is confident in the role of the new generation.

However, he is worried, because, "...the conversation about the problems of this society is often dominated by the generation in the 60s, 70s, 80s, even 90s. The voices of the new generation are often drowned out in these discussions. However, it is as if, for the old people, this new generation does not exist at all. It seems that these two segments are living in a parallel universe.”

I understand this. The new generation desires to be led by their contemporaries.

To partially fulfil this aspiration, for the first time, the Malaysian delegation to the UN General Assembly this September will include two youth leaders (male and female).