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YOWUN PURA (CITY OF YOUTH)
Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
28TH MARCH TO 03rd APRIL 2017
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 in Sri Lanka
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW AND ESSENTIAL INFORMATION GUIDE FOR
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES
CONTENTS
CONTENTS PAGE
Introduction 1-2
Tentative Agenda 3
Camp Location / Setting
(Accommodation / food / safety)
4-6
A Typical Day at Camp 7
What to Pack? 8
Other Essentials ( Visa, Travel Insurance) 9
Memories from 2016 10
Contact Details 11
F AQs 12-13
INTRODUCTION
‘Yowun Pura’ or ‘The City of Youth’ is a leadership and outward bound training programme bringing
together 6000 Sri Lankan and 100 International participants with hope we can motivate young people to
contribute to the national development process, and provide them with the skills to do so. The
programme has been organized by the Government of Sri Lanka with The National Youth Services
Council (NYSC) which is affiliated with The Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs in Sri
Lanka. The NYSC is the primary government institute for youth in Sri Lanka.
Objectives of the Program:
1. Build relationships, reconciliation and bilateral
agreement among Sri Lankan youths and share
their experiences with each other.
2. Share knowledge and experience about youth
development with international youths
3. Develop a mutual understanding among Sri
Lankan youth by conducting group work and
activities like education, sports, cultural events and
entertainment
4. Engage in dialog about national development
with young people and get their ideas and suggestions.
Youth Participants:
Youth club members - 6000
Youth representatives from other organizations - 100
School prefects - 200
International youths – 100
Selection Criteria of the Participants of “Yowun Pura”:
Aged between 17 to 29 years
Female participation should be 40% of the total participation
Opportunity should be given for the youth with special needs
Participant should represent different nationalities
Participants should have the skills to perform different activities at
the program
Service Provider Organizations:
Presidential Secretariat
Prime Ministerial Secretariat
Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs
Sri Lanka Army/Sri Lanka navy/Sri Lanka Air force
Sri Lanka Police and Civil Security Department of Sri Lanka
Other government and non-government organizations
2016 participants completing
community out-reach work and
adventure sports
Page 01
Expected benefits for programme participants:
1. Mutual understanding and friendship with other young people all over the country
2. An increased understanding of others gained through bringing young people from different
nationalities to work together.
3. Long-term relationships with foreign participants, built through shared experience
4. Leadership, social work and camping experience for Youth Club members.
5. The opportunity to engage in dialog about national development with young people, share
ideas and suggestions.
6. The opportunity for youth club members and other international organization’s young people
to meet and share their knowledge and experience on culture and sporting activities.
7. The chance to explore archeological sites and the local environment and to participate in
outdoor activities like tree planting which help to develop self-esteem.
International and national
participants from 2016
2016 international participants
on trip to archeologic site
Participants competing in adventure
activities in 2016
Page 02
TENTATIVE AGENDA – INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES
Date Event/ Activity Remark
27th - 28
th March
Arrival of international delegates in
Sri Lanka
International delegates will be picked up from the airport
and will be accompanied to the National Youth Services
Council where they will spend the night.
Please arrive before 12pm on 28th March
29th March
Travel to campsite and registration
International delegates will be picked up from the NYSC,
at 6am, after breakfast and will start the journey to the
camp site. This journey will be around 8 hours, in an air-
conditioned bus. We will break up the journey with stops
for refreshments and lunch on the way.
In the evening we will attend the camp opening
ceremony.
30th March – 1
st
April
Camp activities
Camp agenda to be finalised. See page 07 for an
example day at camp. The final agenda will be sent after
conformation of registration.
2nd
April
Return to Colombo
We will travel back to the NYSC in Colombo where
delegates will spend the night.
3rd
April Airport transfer for international
delegates
Departure from Sri Lanka.
Note:
During the camp we will make special arrangements other sightseeing in the local area! Get excited!
Page 03
CAMP LOCATION
This programme is scheduled to be held in Trincomalee in the north eastern province of Sri Lanka. This
is an absolutely beautiful city surrounded by some of the best beaches for surfing and some breath-taking
historical temples.
Trincomalee is approximately 270km from the commercial capital, Colombo where we will begin our
journey. It will take approximately 7 – 8 hours to reach the camp by bus.
The camp site is located along the beach and is around 500 acres in size.
Nilaveli Beach Koneswaram-Kovil
267km
Campsite
Airport
NYSC
Page 04
CAMP SETTING
There will be over 5000 young people from across the 25 districts in Sri
Lanka. Each district will have their own designated area during the camp
and will decorate the space to show their own unique identity! The
international delegates will have their own designated space within the
camp with an area for male and for female participants.
For activities youth participants will be divided into mixed groups.
International participants will also join these groups to have a great variety
of the team.
ACCOMMODATION
International delegates will be picked up from the airport by an assigned member of the organizing
committee and will be taken to the NYSC for the first night. After this we will join the camp where we
will stay in tent accommodation with mobile toilet and separate shower.
Why are we camping?
It might seem strange that we’ve made this a traditional camp with participants staying in tents but with
around 5000 young people attending it’s really the best way to accommodate everyone! There are a
number of additional benefits including: fresh air, socialization, decreased stress, exercise, sunshine….
Examples of tent accommodation:
Page 05
FOOD
Throughout the duration of their stay in Sri Lanka (27th March – 3
rd April) participants will be provided
with three meals per day. The food will be Sri Lankan style food which is mainly rice and curry - spicy,
but very tasty! Normally the curries are provided separately (see the picture below) so even if you’re
vegetarian or vegan you can easily have your food preference! The Sri Lankan youth participants will be
cooking their own foods in their campsites so if you want to see how its’ done there will be plenty of
opportunity!
SAFETY
Safety is our top priority. All activities have been carefully planned and tested and will be constantly
supervised by qualified instructors at the campsite. Equipment is subject to regular on-site safety
inspection and participants are trained in basic safety procedures. Each group will be accompanied
by an experienced person. In addition, first aid and medical services will be available at the campsite.
However, please adhere to all instructions given by the instructors and organizing committee at all
times.
Sri Lankan army and police officials will be onsite 24 hours a day to ensure the overall safety of the
campsite and delegates.
Page 06
A TYPICAL DAY AT CAMP
We’re still confirming the final plans and don’t want to give away too much information until closer to
the time but to give you an idea of what to expect we’ve put together this sample timetable for a typical
day at camp!
Time Activity Description
7:30am Breakfast All meals will be provided for you at the camp in the area
designated for international delegates.
9am ‘Shramadana
Campaign’
Community work in the local area - you might be helping to
paint a school or planting trees! This is an excellent
opportunity to meet and work with some of the Sri Lankan
youths also attending the camp.
12 pm Return to camp Time to relax and enjoy some free time in the campground.
You can play cards or games with the other delegates, rest,
there might also be some events like motor-cross, dog
shows, army displays happening that you can watch!
1pm Lunch We hope you are excited to try some Sri Lankan foods –
maybe rice and curry?!
2pm Group discussions An opportunity to network and talk about topics like
national development or community in a semi-structured
way with the other participants.
3pm Outing to place of
interest
Trincomalee is a beautiful beach town with a rich history.
There are temples (both Buddhist and Hindu) and incredible
natural scenery to explore and enjoy!
5:30pm Return to camp Take some time to wind down at the end of the day; relax
before dinner, take a tour of the camp or visit the mini-
market place.
7pm Dinner More tasty Sri Lanka food to keep your energy levels high!
8pm Cultural event One evening it might be a cultural show with music and
dancing, or it might be a campfire with different groups
presenting something from their district.
10pm Bed time
A full programme will be released nearer the time but for now we hope this is enough to get you excited
about Yowun Pura 2017! Other activities might include sports meets (mini-marathon, volleyball, tug of
war competitions etc), outwards bounds courses, cultural events like singing and dancing.
Page 07
WHAT TO PACK?
It can be difficult to know what to pack so we’ve put
together this kit-list for you with suggestions for
things to bring. This is not an exhaustive list but
should help guide you in the right direction. Its
important not to pack too much as you will be
camping.
For Males For Females For Both
1 pair of smart trousers –
(Linen trousers or chinos
are a common favorite)
1 pair of smart trousers - Linen
trousers or chinos.
Toiletries - Toothbrush/paste,
shampoo/conditioner, shower gel etc.
1 -2 pairs of casual trousers
that you can wear for outward
bound activities. ( Track suit
bottoms or similar)
1 -2 pairs of casual trousers that you
can wear for outward bound activities.
( Track suit bottoms or similar)
Sun cream
3 t-shirts - it’s hot, so you
want them to be light and airy
1-2tops (you may show your shoulders
but no spaghetti straps please)
One towel
1 pair of flip flops / Sandals 1 pair of flip flops / Sandals Water bottle and a torch
1 Pair of lightweight Trainers 1 Pair of lightweight Trainers Basic medical supplies - Painkillers,
plasters, Oral Rehydration Salts etc
if you would usually use these
Casual clothes ( Shorts/ T-
shirts)
1x shorts (above the knee is
acceptable)
Insect repellent
1 spare outfit to remain dry
for evening wear
Casual clothes ( Shorts/ T-shirts) If you like to sleep with a sheet
covering you, bring a bed sheet/liner
Swimming clothes Hair ties A day bag for the sightseeing and
expeditions.
1 spare outfit to remain dry for evening
wear
Pack of cards can be useful for
socializing
Swimming clothes
Page 08
OTHER ESSENTIALS
Sri Lanka Visa
Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance
For your own safety, we strongly recommend you obtain travel insurance before you fly out.
It’s a relatively easy process to apply for a visa to Sri Lanka – you can apply for an ETA visa online, using
the following website:
https://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/visainfo/center.jsp?locale=en_US
Please note;
I. Make sure to apply for an ETA visa
II. In the travel information section, it will ask you to select the purpose of the visit. For this, please
select ‘ Participating in sporting events competitions and activities relating to cultural
performance’
III. In the contact details section it will ask for contact details in Sri Lanka, please use following
information:
a. Address : National Youth Services Council, 65, Highlevel Road, Maharagama, Sri Lanka
b. Email : [email protected]
c. Phone : +94112844212/ +94773019889
If you have any difficulty of getting visa, please do contact us.
Page 09
MEMORIES FROM 2016
Page 10
Surender, Indian Delegate 2016:
“Yowun Pura 2016 was one of the
greatest memory for me. It was my
first international trip, where I have
developed my friendship network and
learnt how to enjoy equality and so
on. Still I am recollecting and sharing
my memories of tent stays with my
family. I miss you all”
Mariam, Afghan Delegate 2016:
“It was an exciting year for me, and
the most enjoyable and beautiful
journey of my life. I can say that is
you want to camp, learn, enjoy,
discover, have fun and make the best
memories of your life so the Yowun
Pura Camp is the place you can
achieve these things!. I would like to
thank the NYSC for making programs
like these for youths”
Nina, Russian Delegate 2016:
“First of all it was my first visit to
Lanka so I like everything and every
moment was new to me. I enjoyed
the cuisine and spicy food, learnt
about the ordinary life of Sri Lankan
people and saw national dance
performances!” Abid, Bangladeshi Delegate 2016
Yowun Pura Camp 2016 was a
phenomenal program. It was my first
experience to engage with young
leaders from many countries, cultures
and values I really enjoyed this
program and the great hospitality of
locals. From this program we learn
about different society norms and
their values. Thanks NYSC!
OUR CONTACTS
Postal Address
International Youth Relations Division
National Youth Services Council
65
Highlevel Road
Maharagama
Sri Lanka
Contact persons
Mr. Roshan Jayasooriya
Assistant Director
International Youth Relations Division
National Youth Services Council
+94773784005
Alison Wilson (International) Programme coordinator City of youth International Youth relations Division National Youth Service Council +94 768539257
Mr. Neil Kathriarachchi
Youth Services Officer
International Youth Relations
Division
National Youth Services Council
+94773019889
Yasintha Rathnayake (National)
Programme Coordinator City of youth International Youth relations Division National Youth Service Council +94768208600 [email protected]
Page 11
FAQs
What is the tent accommodation like?
The tents are typically 20 x 20. They are new and of a decent standard. The tents are white which will
reflect the heat and make them cooler inside. You will also be provided with sleeping mats, sheets and
pillows.
Will there be free drinking water on site?
Yes, drinking water will be provided free of charge. You just have to ask for it!
Will you have access to electricity? If so, how? Will this be rationed in any way?
Lights outside the tents are rechargeable - solar powered. There are emergency lamps and each tent has a
power plug with 4 plugs.
What are the toilet/washing facilities?
Water mains been connected to the site and toilets and shower facilities are being built. The toilets are
in corrugated iron temporary structures and are classic squat toilets. However, you will have access to 6
"VIP" toilets especially for the international participants. The showers will have walls around for privacy,
but they are communal so we will have to wear swimwear or something when showering.
Is there anything specific that you will need to bring?
Please see the kit list but here are a few things that are ideal to bring - hat, sunglasses, sun lotion and
sports kit. Outward bound activities include rock climbing and zip lining etc – it promises to be quite an
active camp so pack accordingly.
How will tents be kept cool?
You may be concerned about the temperature but the tent should be comfortable. During hot afternoons
you will be out doing other things.
Do International participants need to prepare activities or events?
In the evening there will be a large campfire for the different international groups to mingle etc.
You are welcome to do something to represent your countries, or just in general. It just has to
be fun - do not worry too much about this. Other than that participants need to bring an open
mind, a sense of adventure and humor and bags of enthusiasm.
Page 12
Will you have some free time?
You will some have free time for your own activities between 5-7pm. But you will not be
allowed to leave the camp site as we are liable for the safety of everyone taking part.
Will it be safe? Will there be fire extinguishers? Will it be Risk Assessed?
It is being organised by 3 separate Ministries of the government and they will be a lot of
security. Participants will not be able to leave the campsite as we are liable for the safety of
everyone taking part. There are doctors on site and a hospital nearby.
Can I smoke at the camp?
This camp is a strictly non-smoking and alcohol free area. Smoking and consuming alcohol is
strictly prohibited.
Thank You!!!
We look forward to seeing you in Sri Lanka soon!