The speech of Dr. Sh. BATBAYAR,Parliament Member,
Minister for Health and Social Welfare, MONGOLIA

10/08/1998

On behalf of the Government Mongolia and my self, I would like to express my appreciation to the Government of Portugal and UN as an initiator and organizer of this First World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth.

I wish to speak briefly of Mongolia's vision of Youth.

The Government of Mongolia deliberates the World Program of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond as general guideline for youth policy and completed following measures.

1. Declared Year 1998 as Youth Year, and year 1997 as preparatory year and organized several complex measures

2. Adopted the National Youth Program with two steps 1998-2000, 20012005 and begun to implement. This program has been worked out on a basis of the 10 problems facing youth reflected on the World Program of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond with consideration of country and region specialties. The national Program has included youth education, information, labor - unemployment, health, entertainment, youth and environment, youth and national tradition, youth and crime, also international cooperation of youth.

3. The Government of Mongolia and UN agencies in Mongolia endorsed Memorandum on cooperation in field related to youth. This Memorandum is the first such kind document adopted by national Government and UN organizations and is new way of cooperation. The Memorandum aimed to improve involvement of youth in implementation of the international youth program, projects and agenda of international meetings of the youth, assist young people in their development, strengthen them, to elaborate education, increase employment, better health of youth, gain them attitude to live in harmony with natural environment, furthermore to establish national youth system. By the Memorandum the active participation of Government and fruitful cooperation with UN agencies are clearly defined and put into responsibility. (The copy of this memorandum is distributed during conference)

As regards to these and other activities Mongolia became one of the first 15 young countries of the World and recognized by UN.

In the future the Mongolia as one of the youngest country over the World Government will strengthen its policy on youth and will develop National Youth System, improve status of Youth Government agency, increase budget financing for youth activities, develop international cooperation within region, and countries with support of UN agencies.

Dear delegates,

The Government of Mongolia wholly supports ideas of the proposed Lisbon Declaration on Youth. This declaration indicates common understanding of problems facing youth in the new century by the United Nation, National Governments, international and national non govermental organizations.

I believe it would gain our meeting if realize the following notions:

1. To decide to settle down World Youth Development Center at LIN as a coordinating body of the implementation of World Program of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond. I

2.To summon all National Goverments to settle down National Youth Development Centers under National Government supervision.

3.To declare Year 2000-2010 as World Youth Decade.

4.To distribute Memorandum of Government of Mongolia and UN representative in this Conference as advocacy to national Governments.

I'd like to assure that Government of Mongolia will put all power to implement ideas of the Lisbon Memorandum at national level, work out national issues of ideal young people of the new century, and organize National Forum and Festival of Youth in 22 - 26 August of this year.

Dear Ministers,

I'm confident that the Government of Mongolia will do its best to do everything for development, for peace, unity and progress of youth, who are the future of the World.

I'd like to end my speech by the slogan of Youth Year in Mongolia

"FUTURE STARTS TODAY".

Thank you.