Global Youth Meet on Health (GYM, 2006) November 14-19, 2006

Global Youth Meet on Health (GYM, 2006) organized during November 14-19, 2006 at New Delhi and Agra, India. The event featured participati

on of 225 delegates (youth and adult facilitators) from 35 countries from around the world along with eminent resource persons from various organizations. These participants were oriented on health issues, using innovative health education strategies. This initiative empowered youth through enhanced health awareness and strengthened health advocacy skills among youth leaders.

• GYM delegation was joined by 10,000 Indian school students from various schools of Delhi, at the inaugural ceremony on November 14, 2006 and 2500 youth supported this delegation at the closing ceremony on November 19, 2006.
• Technical sessions at Agra from November 15- 18, 2006 involved sharing of HRIDAY-SHAN’s health pro motion experiences and success story with international partners and learning from their experiences and successes.

Themes addressed during GYM 2006

• Diet and Nutrition (including healthy diets, food safety, food policies)
• Promotion of Physical Activity
• Avoidance of Addictions like Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs
• Protection and promotion of Environment
• Healthy Gender Relations (including prevention of HIV-AIDS)
• Road Safety
• Peace and Non-Violent Conflict Resolution

Technical sessions at Agra included

• Panel discussion by experts and youth participants on the theme areas
• Small group sessions, led by youth peer leaders
• Skill building workshops by experts in the field
• Interaction with Indian policy makers on prevention of HIV/ AIDS and other themes to practically implement their newly acquired advocacy skills related to policy maker advocacy
• Developed global recommendations for health promotion
• Cultural and social exchange sessions
• Open discussion at the closing plenary to contribute to the action plan for each theme

Dignitaries who graced the event

• Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Honorable Prime Minister of India (Inaugurated GYM 2006).
• The Honorable Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Shiela Dikshit(Chief Guest at Closing ceremony).
• Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Minister for Health and Fa mily Welfare (Guest at the Inaugural Ceremony).
• Mr. Oscar Fernandes, Union Minister for Labour and Employment (Interaction with youth participants on issues related to HIV prevention).
• Ms Poonam Khetarpal Singh, Deputy Regional Director for SEARO, World Health Organization (Guest at the Inaugural Ceremony).
• Dr. Janet Collins, Director, National Centre for Chronic Prevention and Health Promotion (Resource person for technical sessions).
• Dr. Robert Beaglehole, Director, Chronic Disease and Health Promotions, WHO, Geneva (Resource person for technical sessions).
• Mr Chris Dawe representing Clinton Global Initiative (Resou rce person for technical sessions).

The patrons of the event included

• Mr. Manishankar Aiyar, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.
• Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
• Justice A.S. Anand, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission of India
• Mr. Ram Niwas Mirdha, Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi
• Dr. Sawai Singh Sisodia, President, National Cooperative  Union of India.

Charter: Youth For Health Charter (Y4H)    Recognizing that

• health is vital for development and is also a fundamental human right.
• health is influenced not only by individual factors but also by several other determinants that operate at the level of the society.
• young persons must acquire and apply knowledge related to the protection and promotion of health.
  

  

• young persons must not only adopt personal behaviours which sustain good health over their lifespan but also advocate social policies which support those behaviours.

Young persons from 35 countries meeting at the first Global Youth Meet on Health (GYM 2006) at Agra in India,
hereby Resolve to

• create a Youth For Health (Y4H) movement with the of objective promoting health advocacy for policies which can protect the present  and future health of their generation.
• strive for shaping social conditions that are conducive to the health of all sections of society.
• connect young persons across the world with the Y4H network, to form a global alliance of young health advocates.
• create partnerships (at national, regional and global levels) which can carry out concerted actions for promoting health friendly policies.
• collectively campaign on common causes involving tobacco control, curbing of alcohol and drug abuse, promotion of healthy diets and regular physical activity, protection of the environment, enhancing gender equity and gender respect as means of protecting women’s health, prevention of HIV infection, promotion of road safety and other major issues relevant to health.
• contribute to making the world a safer, happier and healthier place for young people to grow up in and lead productive lives.

GYM 2006: NOT a one time event but a beginning to a sustainable global youth movement