2011 YOUTH DAY CELEBRATIONS TO LURE ONE MILLION VISITORS

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 12 (Bernama) -- With the theme, 'Thousands of Excitement and a Million Opportunities', the 2011 Youth Day celebrations in Putrajaya in May expects to lure a million visitors from Asian and Commonwealth countries.

The figure will be a stark contrast to the 250,000 visitors for the event last year.

To achieve the one-million target for the three-day event beginning May 27, 200 attractive events were on the cards, involving 80 competition programmes, 93 spiritual and knowledge activities and the rest involving performances and stage shows.

Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said 463 government agencies, private bodies and non-governmental organisations had so far, confirmed participation by either sponsoring and staging various events.

"Youth Day is not only seen as a carnival but also as offering various opportunities to youths and the people at large," he told a media conference after launching the secretariat room and programme calender for the 2011 Youth Day celebrations here Friday.

Ahmad Shabery called on the youth and the public to make use of the three-day celebration to explore job opportunities, businesses, entrepreneurship, financial and banking opportunities and obtain guidance from the technocrat and corporate people.

Seventeen countries from Asia and the Commonwealth will also showcase their products at the event.

As a symbolic start to the celebration, Ahmad Shabery also flagged-off a nationwide travelling convoy to promote the event, and officiated the putting up of a giant banner at the ministry's building.