‘Youth for Democracy’ holds political awareness in four districts

On : 2023-12-19

The ‘Youth for Democracy’ initiative, led by KJES Youth Works and CRI units, has significantly enhanced political awareness among students in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Hassan, and Chikmagalur districts. By conducting strategic sessions in numerous esteemed institutions, including St Joseph’s University and several colleges, this initiative aims to foster awareness of the Indian Constitution and political consciousness. It has reached 17,151 individuals and encouraged proactive participation.

Through interactive sessions, it instils a profound understanding of democratic values and political participation. Emphasising civic duties and electoral engagement, it equips students to contribute responsibly to the nation. This initiative envisions an informed, engaged youth actively shaping the nation's democratic landscape, upholding constitutional values, and contributing to a more inclusive and progressive society.

The enthusiastic response from the students, coupled with the guidance by the resource persons, reinforces the belief that informed and engaged youth can significantly impact the nation's democratic landscape. Their involvement in elections and their commitment to upholding constitutional values mark a significant step towards a more participative and responsible citizenry.

‘Youth for Democracy’ initiative, with its proactive engagement, serves as a beacon of hope for a future where the youth actively participate in elections, uphold democratic principles, and collectively contributes to building a stronger, more inclusive, and progressive nation.

The initiative has taken up concreted electoral responses such as voter ID enrolment, formulating academic syllabus on political consciousness, encouraging student representation in student elections, parental encouragement, among others.

Speaking about the initiative and student response, Fr Maxim Dias SJ, one of the coordinators of the initiative said: “In the absence of role models, students face challenges such as distrust in the political system, perceptions of political inefficacy, overwhelming complexity of political information, and exposure to negative, polarised political discussions. We hope this initiative would help harness greater political response among younger generation.”

- Maxim Dias SJ