| Ishan Ibrahim |
A CLOSING ceremony was held yesterday at the Chancellor Hall of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) for the Back2Communities Convention, which has accentuated the urgency for youth to be more engaged in efforts to create an inclusive environment for people with special needs.
The guest of honour was Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin.
At the concluding session of the four-day convention, titled ‘Breaking Barriers to Special Needs Inclusion’, the minister expressed his optimism and satisfaction that increasing opportunities are taken up by youth who can fundamentally shape the direction and landscape of Brunei’s future.
“This youth movement towards the betterment of the nation is in line with the philosophy of the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, particularly the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports,” he said.
The minister also urged youth “to take ownership in determining the future landscape of our beloved country, through our own creativity and resiliency”.
He also cited a prime example where the involvement of youth through the spirit of volunteerism was linked with the needs of people with special abilities during the International Volunteers Day, which ran concurrently with the Persons with Special Needs International Day.
“This participation benefitted the community, where volunteerism is often one of the critical mechanisms that are supportive towards the efforts in helping the community in general,” he said.
As a probable reminder, the minister said the upcoming Brunei Young Leaders Convention (BYLC) next week will gather youth of all levels, including those with special needs, with the aim of having an active role in the realisation of Brunei Vision 2035.
“The caring for people with special needs is a shared responsibility for the society in general,” he said.
“Building an inclusive community has been a long standing commitment in Brunei Darussalam, as part of the whole-of-nation approach advocated by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and a collective responsibility to give an opportunity to everyone, leaving no one behind, to reach their full potential and be part of the community.”
The minister further explained that special needs inclusion often entails the educational aspects of the lives of those with special abilities.
At the same time, he acknowledged the efforts of the Back2Communities Convention in highlighting the challenges and accomplishments of people with special needs, while creating opportunities and establishing networking among participants to share ideas in finding solutions towards special needs inclusion.
“In recognition of the substantial advantages and benefits achieved from the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), courtesy of its programme of mentorship and assistance which turned their ideas into action, I hope that youth will take up the challenge to make changes and contribute towards their society, country and nation,” he said.
“This will not only help to foster a feeling of belonging and commitment to their communities, but it can also be a powerful mechanism for giving youth a voice, to be more integrated into society, and to feel the value of being a citizen.”
After the presentation performances of the participating groups, the minister made an impromptu appearance on stage, advising the participants how to serve the community in a more efficient way.
“The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports is always ready to give assistance to youth in this context,” he told them.
In her remarks, founder of the Youth-Setter Community and the Project Leader for Back2Communities Convention Nur Amalina Munyati binti Ismail expressed her appreciation to the United States (US) government, in addition to the support given by sponsors, collaborated centres, guest judges and speakers in making the convention a success.
She also commended the youth participants for developing plans of action, as well as their collaboration with the Society for the Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER) Brunei and the Centre for Children with Special Needs (KACA).
The Brave team grabbed the honours for the best overall performance in the Action Plan Presentation. The other groups were Star, Hope, Clp and Team.
The prize was presented to the Brave team by the minister.
Certificates and tokens of appreciation were also presented to guest judges, President of SMARTER Brunei Malai Haji Abdullah bin Malai Haji Othman and Project Leader of Uniklearn Rasyidah Samah.