KATHMANDU, AUGUST 12

President Ramchandra Paudel has said the onus of building prosperous nation lies on youths.

In his address at a programme organised at the National City Hall on the occasion of 'International Youths Day–2025' today, the President hoped the youths are now competitive enough to take on the responsibility of building a prosperous Nepal and shaping its bright future.

Stating that his generation remained committed to establishing the federal democratic republic system in the country through tremendous efforts for bringing political transformations, he reflected on the journey taken so far.

The President recalled the past struggle as, 'I was born in a farmer's family of rural Tanahu district, grown up battling odds- underdevelopment, poverty and backwardness. However, I continued protesting tyranny. It was not easy for us to take our passion for political transformation to a meaningful end.'

He reiterated that his generation remained committed to taking the political system to a logical conclusion, enduring scarcities and jail sentences along the journey.

Stating that Nepali youths have already proved themselves competent in innovation, sports, entertainment, the IT sector, and entrepreneurship, the Head of the State underlined the need to join hands to leverage the potential for better future, and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The government has given a top priority to the facilitation of concessional loan, creation of environment conducive to youth-friendly investment and expansion of innovation and entrepreneurship in order to provide opportunity to the Nepali youths accustomed to technology within the country, the President said, urging youths to utilize the support, ensuring productive business.

The Head of the State stressed materializing youth's dream of development, good governance and prosperity in the modern era of speedy development featured with globalization and information technology was the need of hour. The policy and programmes that expand and promote entrepreneurship among youths count much to curb brain drain.

Stating that the International Youth Day is the movement to foster youths' participation and empowerment, President Paudel opined that it has stressed sustainable development, unity and solidarity through the participation of youths from local to the international levels.

At the same programme, Minister for Youth and Sports, Teju Lal Chaudhary, shared the government was making policy and legal reforms to build youth-friendly environment as well as to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Employment creation by developing leadership and skill of youths is government's top priority, he reiterated.

Likewise, UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal Hanaa Singer Hamdy reminded that International Youth Day is not just an opportunity for enthusiasm but also the opportunity for collaboration and commitment.

Vice-Chairperson of the Council, Surendra Basnet, opined that youths are partners of present and leaders of future.

The National Youth Council organised the programme.