Mar 30, Colombo: The Yowun Puraya youth program affords Sri Lankan youth the opportunity to contribute to country's economic, social and national development process, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says.

'Yowun Pura' or 'The City of Youth', a leadership and outward bound training program bringing together 6000 Sri Lankan and 100 International participants commenced at Mackheisher Grounds in Trincomalee in yesterday.

Conveying his best wishes and congratulations to the success of the Youth Program which he formed when he was the Youth Affairs Minister in the '80s, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said through the program, the Sri Lankan youth were given the opportunity to contribute towards the national development of the country.

"I now meet individuals born from that program formed all those years ago in various sectors of the Nation. One common thread which binds them is that they are all working with immense commitment and passion towards developing Sri Lanka," the Prime Minister said.

He said where the quality of life and education is concerned in the region, the youth of Sri Lanka come out on top.

The Yowun Pura leadership program through the Youth Camp hopes to motivate young people to contribute to the national development process, and provide them with the skills to do so.

The program aims to build relationships, reconciliation and bilateral agreement among Sri Lankan youths and share their experiences with each other as well as to share knowledge and experience about youth development with international youths.

It hopes to develop a mutual understanding among Sri Lankan youth by conducting group work and activities like education, sports, cultural events and entertainment and engage in dialog about national development with young people and get their ideas and suggestions.

The Youth Camp organized by The Government of Sri Lanka in collaboration with The National Youth Services Council, affiliated with the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs will continue until 3 April this year.