New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the valedictory function of the second National Youth Parliament Festival on January 12 at 10:30 AM via video conferencing, said a release by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Three national winners of the festival will also express their views during the event. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, among others, will also be present on the occasion.

The objective of the National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) is to hear the voice of youth between 18 and 25 years of age, who are allowed to vote and will join various careers in coming years, including public services.

The National Youth Parliament Festival is based on the idea given by the Prime Minister in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address on December 31, 2017.

Taking inspiration from the idea, the first NYPF was organised from January 12 to February 27, 2019, with the theme “Be the Voice of New India and Find solutions and Contribute to Policy”. A total of 88,000 youth participated in the program.

The second NYPF was launched on December 23, 2020, through virtual mode. 2.34 lakh youth from across the country participated in the first stage. It was followed by State Youth Parliaments through the virtual mode from January 1 to 5.

The finals of the second NYPF will be held in the Central Hall of the Parliament on January 11.

Twenty-nine national winners will get an opportunity to speak before the national jury comprising of Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly, Lok Sabha MP Parvesh Sahib Singh, and journalist Prafulla Ketkar.

The top three winners will get an opportunity to speak before the Prime Minister in the valedictory function on January 12.

National Youth Festival, which is being celebrated every year, will be held from January 12 to 16. Due to COVID-19, the 24th National Youth Festival is being held in virtual mode. ‘YUVAAH – Utsah Naye Bharat Ka’ is the theme of this year’s festival, which suggests, the youth bring alive the celebration of New India.

The opening ceremony of the 24th National Youth Festival and the closing ceremony of 2nd National Youth Parliament Festival will both take place on 12th January 2021 in the Central Hall of Parliament.

The closing ceremony of the 24th National Youth Festival will take place in Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi on January 16.