Amnesty International Nepal (AI Nepal) is organizing the 15th edition of its annual Youth Mela in Besishahar, Lamjung, from April 19 to 21, 2023. Every year, the Youth Mela takes on a theme that addresses pertinent human rights issues of our current times. The theme of the Youth Mela this year is ‘Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers: Youths in Action’, with a focus on giving voice and agency to young people.
With an objective to inform and educate the organization’s youth members on various human rights issues, AI Nepal has been organizing the Youth Mela since 2006. Over the past 15 years, it has so far imparted such training to over 1,500 young activists. Every year, the three-day Mela sees the participation of more than 100 youths representing more than 50 youth networks and supporters of AI Nepal based in different parts of the country.
This edition of the Youth Mela hopes to sensitize the participants and build their capacity on the role of youths in tackling issues of transitional justice, LGBTQI, climate change, gender, access to justice, among others. In addition, it will educate the members on how Amnesty International undertakes its human rights work and how its youth members contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights across the world.
Background
Amnesty International Nepal is part of the global human rights movement of over ten million members and supporters, and has been active in Nepal since 1969. Amnesty International Nepal now has about seven thousand members in Nepal affiliated through its various Groups and Networks. Amnesty Nepal works to protect and promote human rights in Nepal including the rights of the migrant workers, rights of women and Dalits and other marginalized communities, right to truth, justice and reparation, and also undertakes campaigns for the protection of individuals at risk across the globe as part of its international solidarity campaign.