YOUTH FORUM

YOUTH AT THE CROSSROADS  

Sakana Vignesh reflects on the choice facing our youth – stay put or leave?

A: Sri Lanka is good in many aspects but free education and healthcare stand above the rest. Even as a developing nation, we provide these essentials at no cost to our people – something even some wealthy countries cannot fully offer.       

The bad is the growing influence of drugs among youth, who are the pillars of our nation. This destroys lives and weakens our future, so stronger action on drug prevention is needed. 

And the ugly is the gradual loss of our own traditions and culture due to Western influence through social media. While the world offers many good things, abandoning our own unique heritage is deeply worrying.

Q: And what are the challenges facing the nation at this time?

A: The greatest challenge is ongoing economic instability. Although we have moved past 2022, the economy remains fragile as the rupee threatens to lose value against the dollar and global crises hinder recovery. The real failure lies in our economic policies and frameworks.

The other challenge linked to the economic crisis is that the cost of living is high, which places a heavy burden on ordinary families as prices keep climbing.

Q: What are the challenges facing young people in Sri Lanka today?

A:  The most inevitable challenges are unemployment and underemployment. Most young people cannot find jobs in their own fields after graduation, no matter how hard they try. Even those who find work often end up in positions far below their qualifications. 

The worst thing is that even the cream of the youth – those who beat thousands to enter state universities – face the same struggle. They’re left with the painful choice of staying and settling for less or leaving the country for better opportunities.

Q: How can our youth contribute to national progress?

A:I believe that every nation rises only when its young people rise. For Sri Lanka to achieve real national progress, the youth must take on the country’s challenges, become more involved in research and development, study successful countries and understand how strong nations built their systems. 

By doing so, they can become pillars of the nation, and help overcome the economic, social and educational obstacles holding Sri Lanka back.

Q: So what type of leadership do you think the world needs right now?

A:I think the world needs leaders with both charisma and humanity. We live in a highly commercialised society where the value of human beings is gradually being lost. 

That is why we need leaders who are not only inspiring but also humble. Leadership without humanity may deliver short-term gains; but only leadership rooted in vision and compassion can ensure long-term sustainability.

Q: How has the advent of AI and technology shaped your view of the future?

A:Artificial intelligence and technology have shaped my view of the future notably. Every year, technology reduces burdens through the application of knowledge and the pace of development is remarkably fast. 

Today, AI is attracting people and industries at unprecedented speed. Whether we like it or not, we must adapt to these technologies in our day-to-day life or risk becoming isolated from the world. 

AI offers tremendous opportunities; and without it, I cannot achieve my future dreams in this rapidly growing world.

The worst thing is that even the cream of the youth – those who beat thousands to enter state universities – face the same struggle 

Q: As a young person, what are your hopes for and concerns about the future?

A:My greatest hope is to live a healthy and prosperous life in a peaceful world. In contrast, my biggest concern is maintaining the flexibility to adapt to a world that is changing so fast, especially with increasingly competitive mindsets around us.

Q: And last but not least, if you could launch a project or movement in Sri Lanka, what would it be – and why?

A: I would launch a movement to find and build a truly sustainable source of energy for the country. We face a major shortage of sustainable energy while the population and demand for energy continues to grow. 

With conflicts around the world, petroleum has become expensive and unreliable. Therefore, if we don’t find our own sustainable energy solution now, we’ll continue to suffer every time a global crisis breaks out in some part of the world.