Latest news with #YouthConference
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Student questions lack of recognition for prestigious international events
Arishah Rusydan, portraying a Malawi delegate, emerged as the best delegate at the conference but her achievement has gone unrecognised in Malaysia. (Asia Youth International Model United Nations pic) PETALING JAYA : A secondary school student has questioned the education ministry's policy of awarding marks for co-curricular activities only for recognised programmes, after failing to receive any credit for participating in an international youth conference. Arishah Rusydan, 17, said she was denied marks under the Psychometric Assessment and Assessment of Physical Activity Co-curriculum (PAJSK) despite emerging with the 'Best Delegate' award at the 16th Asia Youth International Model United Nations in Kuala Lumpur recently. The event, which brought together 1,000 participants from 38 countries, was not endorsed by the ministry and therefore did not qualify for PAJSK consideration. 'Imagine winning first place in a prestigious international competition, only to be dismissed because it wasn't endorsed by the ministry,' the SMK Convent (M) Kajang student told FMT. Arishah said teachers advised her to focus instead on programmes that were 'worth her time' – referring to ministry-approved events. Under PAJSK, only activities endorsed by the ministry qualify for co-curricular marks, which account for 10% of the merit score used in university admissions and scholarship applications. External certificates, even from rigorous or internationally recognised events, are not accepted. Arishah pointed out that the policy could discourage students from taking part in global events that help build practical skills and self-confidence. 'The system should allow a process for recognising unendorsed competitions and certificates. It would help validate students' efforts and promote self-driven learning,' she said. She urged the ministry to review PAJSK guidelines to reflect real-world achievements rather than limiting recognition to a fixed list of approved activities. 'If this strict system continues, students who push beyond its boundaries will remain unrecognised. It disheartens us,' she said. She said her experience may reflect the frustrations of other students who feel sidelined despite meaningful achievements outside the classroom. 'Let students build real skills, not just chase marks. Recognising our achievements can unlock potential and help us grow – which is what PAJSK was meant to do in the first place,' she said. Arishah said she contacted the education ministry via email to seek clarification. In reply, the ministry said PAJSK marks are only granted for programmes by external agencies that follow official procedures. These procedures include submitting an application at least 45 days before the event and obtaining formal recognition – rules the ministry said are in place to protect students and ensure proper oversight. Participation in programmes under other ministries, such as the higher education ministry, does not automatically qualify one for PAJSK marks. However, Arishah said it was 'ridiculous' to expect international organisers to be aware of such procedures and apply for recognition when hosting events in multiple countries. The ministry did not respond to further queries on the matter.
Business News Wales
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business News Wales
Young People Make their Mark at Annual Youth Conference
Monmouthshire County Council held its annual youth conference at County Hall in Usk. The youth conference allows young people from schools across the county to unpack and dig deeper into the three priority areas identified in the 2025 Make Your Mark survey, which a record-breaking 3,509 young people took part in. The priority areas were: Cost of living (with 17.1% share of the total vote from all respondents) Mental health matters (with 17% share of the total vote from all respondents) Employment and skills (with 14% share of the total vote from all respondents) Discussions and workshops around those priority areas were conducted with a view to formulate recommendations for decision makers, public services and young people themselves to address over the coming year. The Children's Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, opened this year's youth conference and gave some perspective of the top three priority issues at a national level. Cllr Angela Sandles, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Engagement, said: 'It is vital that we listen to the voices of young people across Monmouthshire and hear what is important to them. 'Engaging with people of all ages will help us to form a balanced picture of what matters most to the people of Monmouthshire. 'I hope that everyone who attended Friday's Youth Conference was able to take away an understanding of how we all have to support each other to thrive as a county. 'This is always my favourite conference of the council year, listening to the voices of our young people inspires me and reminds us of all of the insight and innovation they bring.' Cllr Laura Wright, Cabinet Member for Education, said: 'Learning how local government can function to support people from all aspects of society can be an extremely beneficial part of education. 'It was great to see so many young people taking part in the Youth Conference. 'I particularly enjoyed listening to them discussing mental health and wellbeing, reflecting on their experiences and sharing their ideas. 'They have given me a lot to think about and I look forward to working with young people across Monmouthshire to protect and improve mental health in our schools.'
Malay Mail
05-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
The great game of artificial intelligence — Jonathan Yen
MAY 5 — As the world remains embroiled in the US-China trade spat, an interesting live broadcast took place in Moscow recently. At the 'Youth Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club's New Generation Project', a peculiar topic caught my attention — a discussion on artificial intelligence and technology. Contrary to popular view, AI is not viewed with the same rose-coloured lenses by Generation Z, like myself. An AI-driven future is not one that provides us with the comfort of job security as well as our privacy. Thus, when a topic like this is being discussed in a country like Russia, it arguably deserves closer attention. The Great Game In order to truly appreciate the emergence of new superpower competition in the 21st century, we need to go back to the 'Great Game', which marked the rivalry between the 19th-century British and Russian empires and their influence over Central Asia then. Today, AI could become a new battleground for influence, raising the collateral consequences of escalating geopolitical tension between the US and China. As each side seeks to improve and commercialise its AI models, it will have to rely on other nations to supply the unique data and resources required to effectively turn them into 'digital colonies'. In other words, we are witnessing a new form of geopolitical influence: an AI-driven 'metropolisation' of our societies and economies. While it is understandable that many countries are keen to jump on the AI bandwagon, it could come at the cost of their national sovereignty. In the past, physical land and resources were prized possessions. Today, by adopting foreign AI models and regulations, as well as selling off land and resources for foreign-built data centres, are they not, in essence, surrendering their sovereignty? According to the symposium mentioned above, this could also be viewed as a 'soft form' of colonisation. There is no doubt that the US and China currently lack mutual trust. Yet, our future and economic well-being are deeply intertwined with these competing superpowers. In their race for dominance, it will be hard for them to resist using AI to tighten their grip on future generations as a form of control. AI could become a new battleground for influence, raising the collateral consequences of escalating geopolitical tension between the US and China. — Reuters pic AI colonisation Colonisation can be defined as a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples for the purpose of cultivation, exploitation, trade and in some cases, settlement. What is AI colonisation? The panelists noted that AI development has become a fiercely competitive battleground among nations, particularly between the United States and China. Due to AI's data and resource-intensive nature, only major powers could possess the capacity to build AI models domestically. While the commercial entities developing AI is undeniable, control often remains closely tied to their respective governments. What about smaller countries like those in South-east Asia? The simpler and more economical path is to adopt AI models commercially. This approach is not only more efficient, but it can also provide substantial foreign investment, primarily in the form of data centres funded and operated by tech giants. However, AI models have their own ecological uniqueness which carries the cultural blueprint of the country of origin. Take China's Deepseek model as an example. Deepseek is able to illustrate both Oriental and Western folklore. Yet, it struggles when asked to depict characters from say, a Slavic folklore such as Kolobok, due to insufficient data from that cultural domain. This suggests that AI is currently limited by its own enclosed ecosystem, confined only to the inherent features of its parent nation. As time goes by, the more it learns from other cultures, the more the ecosystem expands in its knowledge and capabilities. The more information it absorbs, the more persuasive its influence becomes. We already know that Chinese models like Deepseek follow China's party line, and American models like OpenAI have strong political biases. Is the global race for AI dominance leading us into a modern-day version of the 19th-century 'Great Game'? Is Generation Z at risk of being caught in a digital conflict driven by external powers as part of the great game towards 'AI colonisation'? * This is the personal opinion of the writers or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arnold Delin Award recognizes commitment to diversity
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Twelve high school students were recognized Tuesday for their efforts to promote diversity, understanding and acceptance of others in their schools and communities. The 23rd Arnold Delin Awards, hosted by the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29, were held in the John E. Morgan Auditorium at Penn State Schuylkill. The event was attended by about 40 people, including IU representatives, parents and school administrators who served as facilitators for each winning student. The award — named after the late community leader and activist Arnold Delin — is presented annually to students who participate in Schuylkill County Youth Conference activities and whose actions promote an appreciation of diversity and inclusion in the community. Delin, president of the Oheb Zedeck Synagogue Center in Pottsville and the regional chairman of the Anti-Defamation League, died in Orwigsburg in 2015 at age 89. The presentation was preceded by remarks from Delin's wife, Dolores, who spoke about the importance of diversity and the work that diversity clubs do in schools. 'Diversity made America,' she said. ' … If we didn't have diversity, if we didn't have difference in our country, we'd be a very uninteresting population.' Dolores Delin speaks during the annual Arnold Delin Awards at Penn State Schuylkill, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) She also urged people to do their due diligence on the upcoming election, which she said is a very important one since it features many contested races for local school board members. 'Take time to understand who these people are,' Delin said, 'and make sure you make good choices because they influence what goes on in the school. They influence your children.' In a rare occurrence for the award show, Delin's comments touched on political topics. She expressed disappointment in President Donald Trump's recent dismissal of several members of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum board. She also referenced the president's order to cut diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Pennsylvania schools. Delin also took a moment to recognize the parents of the award recipients. 'They're not what they are today if it had not been for the seed that you planted in your home before they got to the schools, so congratulations to you,' she said. The Arnold Delin Award went to a high school junior or senior from 12 county schools. Each award winner received a backpack — with a symbol of the program — and a $500 award intended for postsecondary education expenses. Any recipient attending Penn State Schuylkill is also eligible for a $500 matching scholarship award. Before the award winners were recognized, the IU showed a presentation displaying projects and activities that the students and their diversity clubs spearheaded after participating in this year's Youth Conference. Scott Delin, Arnold and Dolores' son, said the symbol on the backpacks represents how the students make a difference. Scott, a Pottsville Area alumnus, said he remembers his father's deep commitment to social causes. 'I remember growing up, the late-night calls my father would get about some issues that were happening,' Scott Delin said. ' 'Oh, my child was excluded from this,' or 'We can't get into this club.' He'd drop whatever he did to go out and help them. So he made a difference, and you're making a difference. Hopefully, this will set you apart and people will recognize all that you do for your peers.' Also at the event, Annie Milewski, director of curriculum at IU 29, recognized the contributions of special programs assistant Theresa Kozura, who will retire this year. Kozura said she will miss working with the Delins on the program and hearing about students' accomplishments. * Annie Milewski speaks during the annual Arnold Delin Awards at Penn State Schuylkill, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Mahanoy Area's Ally Bet sings the national anthem during the annual Arnold Delin Awards at Penn State Schuylkill, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Show Caption 1 of 2 Annie Milewski speaks during the annual Arnold Delin Awards at Penn State Schuylkill, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Expand Ally Bet, a student at Mahanoy Area Junior/Senior High School, opened the event with a performance of the national anthem and concluded it with 'God Bless America.' The recipients of this year's Arnold Delin Awards and their schools are: * Maura Dagon, Blue Mountain * Aidan Milkovits, Marian Catholic * Rebecca Zula, Minersville Area * Brody Sophy, Nativity BVM * Molly Reed, North Schuylkill * Allison Fisher, Pine Grove Area * Jaeda Powell, Pottsville Area * Brenda Holguin, Schuylkill Haven Area * Angelique Zamudio Carmen, Shenandoah Valley * Danika Samler, Schuylkill Technology Center * Lindsey Gerhard, Tamaqua Area * Mia Artz, Tri-Valley
Zawya
29-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
To mark its 50th anniversary, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mobilizes youth around a Conference on the Development of an Economically inclusive and Peaceful West Africa
Discussing the causes and factors of youth unemployment and the impact of their instrumentalization, showcasing successful youth initiatives and enterprises, and exploring funding and innovation opportunities such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Human Capital Development (HCD) Catalytic Investment Fund initiative, will be the topics addressed at the major Youth Conference being organized by ECOWAS from April 29 to 30, 2025, in Accra, Ghana. Organized with the Ghanaian Ministry of Youth and Development as part of the celebration of ECOWAS' 50th anniversary, this major Conference will also address themes such as (i) the role of technology in creating employment opportunities and solving employment problems, (2) advocating reforms to align education with labor market needs and highlighting effective continuing education programs, (3) encouraging youth participation in civic activities and promoting active citizenship. More than 250 participants, including H.E. Damtien TCHINTCHIBIDJA, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, representatives of the Ghanaian government, educators, business leaders and various stakeholders will gather in Accra over 2 days to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding youth participation, particularly with regard to unemployment and underemployment in West Africa. The event will also bring together young people from ECOWAS member states, specialized ECOWAS agencies such as the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Program, as well as participants from the Directorates and Programs of the Office of the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, ECOWAS Early Warning System observers in the field. Participants will also include the private sector, strategic partners and donor organizations. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
