10/08/1998

Permit me once again to express our congratulations to you and the other members of the General Committee on the manner in which you have conducted the discussions and work of this important Conference. Our delegation anticipates that this Conference will provide impetus and inspiration to all Governments and nongovernmental organisations for improving the status of young people in their countries. The very inspiring speech by Mr. Kofi Annan, General Secretary of the United Nations, certainly provided the needed intellectual and operative impetus.

Recent years have been historical for the Republic of Croatia and its people: the process of transition from a collective economy to a private economy and, worst of all, armed attack.

There have been very difficult moments for all the citizens of the Republic of Croatia, but young people had one of the most difficult roles. Wartime aggression unjustly deprived innocent young people of their youth, the time of life that is supposed to be the most beautiful. The most fundamental human right was jeopardized or taken from them - the right to life. Many have lost their families, homes, friends and loves. The education, health and living standard to which they are entitled have been significantly bellow the quality that the Croatian State could have provided had it not been attacked.

Despite all efforts, consequences have remained - not merely those resulting from an economy- impoverished by war but as a direct consequence of wartime stress.

Precisely for this reason, the state devotes particular attention to the young people in Croatia.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia has established the Government Institute for the

Welfare of Families, Mothers and Young People, which in cooperation with competent ministries and advisory bodies: the National Commission for Planning a Program of Action for Children, the Commission for the Prevention of Behavioural Disorders, the National Commission for the Prevention of Drug Abuse and other agencies works on improving the lives of young people.

Particular attention is devoted to children with developmental disorders, mineawareness education, the education of members of national minorities, the schooling of Croatian youth living abroad and the young people with psychosocial disorders.

Regulations have been passed for the social and family-legal welfare of children and young people, measures promoting equality between sexes, and the Juvenile Court Act that gives preference to pedagogical procedures - particularly to uninstitutional measures.

A systematic study of the position of young people and their value system is being conducted and its' results should contribute to the improved quality of young people's lives.

Besides by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the welfare of young people is safeguarded by non-governmental associations, under the umbrella organization of the

National Federation of the Young People in Croatia, comprised of twenty associations, with the observer status in the European Youth Forum.

We are no less concerned with supporting and safeguarding the young people of the world, fully aware of international solidarity and global interdependence.

Therefore, we sincerely hope that this Conference will achieve the intended purpose of improving the overall welfare of young people in several important aspects, including

education, health and employment, with visible fruits in the near future.

We are aware that all young people need assistance, particularly those in the poorest of countries and those living under particularly difficult circumstances. Therefore, we hope that

the living conditions will most improve for the most neglected and marginalised young people.

In order to achieve this, we hope that the distinguished delegations will commit themselves to the national policy on young people proposed by the Final Declaration issued by the assembly, which the Croatian delegation firmly supports.

We believe that for the development of policy for young people, the active participation of young people is a condition sine qua non, based upon the following:

- Strengthening democratic societies,

- Peaceful resolution of problems within each individual country and among the nations of the world,

- Strengthening awareness of the equality among nations, saxes, races, religions, i.e. the strengthening of multiculturalism

- Strengthening awareness of environmental protection,

- Facilitating access to education, health care, employment and a general improvement of living conditions for young people, especially for the neglected groups

In order to begin the attempt to provide young people with an opportunity for a better future.

Through the continuation of the current activities and the implementation of what we shall agree upon at this Conference, under the patronage of the UN and other world or regional organizations, the lives of the youth in our countries and in the world can improve.

Only youth has always believed that it is so easy to change the world. Do we have the right to disappoint them?

Thank you very much.