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UNI Apro Youth Comes of Age
UNI Apro Youth comes of age!
In the one day UNI Apro Youth meeting held in Kuala Lumpur on 27th October 2009, the discussions and deliberations on the activities of the UNI National Youth during the year, their future plans and integration of young workers into the trade union movement via UNI Apro were truly a remarkable meeting that spoke volumes of their commitment to build strong trade unions in the region.
There were no hesitation and true volunteerism spirit from its members to realise the UNI Youth Conference that were to held from 28-30th October 2009 and the UNI Congress in 2010 in Nagasaki, Japan.
Varies activities are on-going in many of the countries. In Japan, the integration of youth in organising UNI Congress in Nagasaki 2010 has the unions conducting English Language Trade Unions camps in Japan involving Japanese Youth and foreign resource persons. Varies joint youth workshops in the regions had produced committed youth that strive to put youth in the forefront of the trade union movement. We also hear from Philippines about combining the social movement unionism that reaches out to the community – its Payatas Feed the Children project is one that moves people to care and share ... seriously, this project is a life line for children in Payatas! There are also the Taiwanese youths that strive with all workers to get better benefit for its workers. Malaysian youths with their network meeting to regularly work on community issues and strengthen the trade union solidarity in Malaysia. Indonesia’s works in migrant workers, campaigning for workers recognition were part of its initiative to build its nation under the financial crisis. Australia’s contribution in making youth a true component in the trade union movement and Sri Lanka’s youth in making sure that training are within the reach of the workers. These works speaks volumes about the UNI Apro Youth.
Photo by Eri Sasaki |
What drives UNI Apro Youth? Lots of FUN-tastic energy (working together is FUN), commitment (yes, its real hard work-no mistake about it) and 100% focus on making this a better world for all! Yes, UNI Apro Youth have a dream that is reachable and they are striving forward step by step.
UNI Apro Youth as from January 2009 is spearheaded by Magdalene Kong, Director of UNI Apro Youth and Research.