National Youth Day 2022

• 13 Jan 2022

Why in News

National Youth Day (NYD) is held every year on 12^th January to observe the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

• In 1999, the United Nations decided to commemorate International Youth Day every year on 12^th August.

Key Points

• About NYD:
  
  • In 1984, the Indian Government first declared to celebrate the birthday of Swami Vivekananda as National Youth Day. Since then the day has been celebrated as National Youth Day all over the country.
  • The day is celebrated to highlight the youths who are the future of our country and to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda who always motivated the youth of the country and spoke about the right use of the youth in the development of the country.
• Theme 2022: It's all in the mind.
• 25^th National Youth Festival:
  
  • The Prime Minister inaugurated the 25th National Youth Festival which is a five-day festival.
  • The main purpose to celebrate the festival is to increase bonding between the diverse cultures of the country to strengthen the unity of the nation.
  • The festival is organized by National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) under the aegis of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Related Initiatives:
  
  • National Youth Policy-2014
  • Generation Unlimited in India (YuWaah)
  • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
  • YUVA: Prime Minister’s Scheme For Mentoring Young Authors
  • World Programme of Action for Youth
  • Global Youth Summit
  • Global youth skills day

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

• He was born as Narendranath Datta on 12^th January, 1863.
• Introduced the world to the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga.
• He was the chief disciple of the 19^th-century mystic Ramakrishna Paramhansa.
• Laid the greatest emphasis on education for the regeneration of our motherland. He advocated a man-making character-building education.
• Established the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897. It is an organization which works in the area of value-based education, culture, health, women's empowerment, youth and tribal welfare and relief and rehabilitation.
• He died at Belur Math in 1902. Belur Math, located in West Bengal, is the headquarters of Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission.

Source: PIB