Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 25th National Youth Festival on Wednesday in Puducherry via video conferencing on the National Youth Day which is observed to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the festival aims to shape the minds of India’s youth and transform them into a united force for nation-building. It is one of the biggest exercises in social cohesion and intellectual and cultural integration. It aims to bring diverse cultures of India and integrate them into a united thread of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.

This year, in view of the emerging COVID situation, the festival has been scheduled to be held virtually from January 12-13. The inauguration will be followed by the National Youth Summit wherein there will be panel discussions on four identified themes.

In line with the youth-led development and motivating youngsters to solve the emerging issues and challenges, the themes will include environment, climate, and SDG-led growth; tech, entrepreneurship, and innovation; indigenous and ancient wisdom; and national character, nation-building, and homegrown. Recorded video capsules of Puducherry, Auroville, Immersive City Experience, indigenous sports games, and folk dances, etc. will be shown to the participants during the Festival. There will also be open discussions with Olympians and Paralympians followed by live performances in the evening. A virtual Yoga session will be organised in the morning.

During the event, the Prime Minister will unveil selected essays on “Mere Sapno ka Bharat” and “Unsung Heroes of Indian Freedom Movement”.

These essays have been selected from submissions by over 1 lakh youth on the two themes.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate a Technology Centre of the MSME Ministry, established at Puducherry with an investment of about Rs 122 crore. With the focus on the Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) Sector, this Technology Centre will be equipped with the latest technology. It will contribute towards skilling youth and will be able to train around 6400 trainees per year.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Manimandapam – an auditorium with open-air theatre, constructed by the Government of Puducherry at a cost of about Rs 23 crores. It would primarily be used for educational purposes, and can accommodate more than 1000 people, the PMO stated.