Chandigarh, October 2: After an exciting and action oriented week of inspirational peace-talks, creative workshops, cooperative-games, action based activities, volunteer action, building of cross-cultural relationships, cultural festivities and neigbourhood walks the 8th International Youth Peace Fest ended today with release of a logo designed by cartoonist Sandeep Joshi for 9th International Youth Peace Fest, by the Chief Guest Shri Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh at an impressing international ceremony at Government Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11, Chandigarh.
Prominent among those who participated in the valedictory function of Peace fest included Randeep Singh Surjewala, Cabinet Minister, Haryana, Mukesh Agnihotri, Industries Minister, Himachal Pradesh, Rajinder Rana, MLA, Haryana, Bikram Rana, State Liaison Officer, State Cell NSS, Chandigarh.
Welcoming the guest Dev Tayde of Indicorps, Ahmedabad-partners of the Peace Fest programme said that in heart rending scenes of separation amid friends who were strangers till a few days back. About 250 young participants flocked to this city from diverse countries and cultures to find a unifying ground for peace. In their Indian hosts, they discovered an extension of their own family. Today, they separated with a pledge to extend the peace family by involving more people in the peace process for global harmony.
Explaining the endeavour Pramod Sharma, Coordinator, Yuvsatta said that now next year they will hold again this annual mega event from September 27 to October 2, 2014, for which the efforts to solicit more international participation will start from November 4, 2013 onwards. They started with just two countries of India & Pakistan in 2006. This year young change makers from 25 countries came and now after eight years of show of global camaraderie for peace and harmony, they intend to bring youth from all 217 countries of the world on one platform in next five years in 2018 in India.
The last day of the Peace Fest started with an early morning walk by American Gandhi Bernie Meyer and 200 other international and national to ‘Promote Wildlife & Biodiversity Conservation’, sponsored by Department of Forests & Wildlife at Sukhna Lake, where KK Sharma, Advisor to Administrator, Chandigarh Administration flagged off the walk.
At this impressive ceremony in presence of representatives youth leaders from different countries Virbhadra Singh also released an International Peace Jingle sung by Peace Fest delegates from different countries. Congratulating & encouraging the participants Virbhadra Singh shared the value system promoted by Indian ethos for global peace and world harmony. Randeep Surjewala added that youth participation at the grass-roots level has already contributed significantly to halting and reversing environmental degradation and need of the hour is to further consolidate and spread this message amongst masses further. Later Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh honoured international Peace Fest delegates.
Virbhadra Singh & Randeep Singh Surjewala, announced a grant of Rs. 2.5 lacs each to encourage Yuvsatta volunteers to do more for promotion of culture of peace & nonviolence amongst young people. TR Sharma, General Secretary of Yuvsatta extended heartiest thanks for the same.