ISLAMABAD: 28 Jan 2025 – The Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance (CAYA) 2025 Summit kicked off on Tuesday here at theJinnah Convention Centre, focusing on youth empowerment, education, and skills development. The Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was the chief guest of the inaugural session of the summit.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, in his address called the youth as the harbinger of change and said that there is a need to increase the role of the youth in national development and policy making. The Prime Minister’s Youth Program is a fellowship program for the development and welfare of the youth.
Welcoming the participants of the summit on behalf of the government and the people, the Prime Minister said that he is happy to host the Commonwealth Asia Youth Summit. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is a founding member of the Commonwealth, Pakistan and its institutions are very important It is an important platform for building partnerships and building consensus, with 60 per cent of the Commonwealth’s population under 30 years of age.
Prime Minister said that the future of the commonwealth countries depends on the youth, we have to improve the skills of the youth, equip the youth with modern technology and technical education, the youth are the guarantee of a peaceful and prosperous future. The prime minister said that 70% of Pakistan’s population is under 30 years of age, we are well aware of this potential and we can turn it into an opportunity to play a significant role in the development and prosperity of Pakistan.
Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Program (PMYP), Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan welcome the distinguished guests from 12 countries and also congratulated the 113 new members of the third batch of the Prime Minister National Youth Council (NYC).
He shared that 49 boys, 49 girls, 02 transgenders and 13 candidates from overseas diaspora were selected through interviews conducted by a panel of professionals and leaders.
To promote the rich heritage and scenic beauty of the country, a video on Pakistan’s tourism potential was showcased in the event, captivating the audience with stunning visuals of the nation’s diverse landscapes.
A video message from the Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland was also played, who acknowledged the government of Pakistan’s strides in youth development and its significant contributions to the Commonwealth community.
Earlier, the prime minister also administered the oath to the members of 3rd batch of National Youth Council and gave away awards to the high achievers.
20 climate champions, youth leaders honored at CAYA 2025
At the Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance (CAYA) Summit 2025, 20 young leaders were honored with the prestigious ‘Climate Champions Award’ for their exceptional contributions to combating climate change and promoting sustainability in their communities. Additionally, eight young leaders received the ‘Youth Excellence Awards’ for groundbreaking work in fields like education, renewable energy, water conservation, and environmental sustainability.
Climate Champions Award Winners:
- Nizam ud Din (Quetta) – Climate education and tree plantation projects
- Rubina Bibi (Quetta) – Climate education and tree plantation projects
- Saim Abbas Sahto (Sindh) – Renewable energy and climate education
- Alia Ali Murad (Sindh) – Renewable energy and climate education
- Mahnoor Fatima (Sukkur) – Water conservation
- Abdul Basit (Sukkur) – Water conservation and solid waste management
- Sahiba (Thatta) – Solid waste management and plantation drives
- Tanveer Alam (Sanghar) – Solid waste management and plantation drives
- Sheraz Ahmad (Mardan) – Forestry initiatives
Youth Excellence Award Winners:
- Suhaib (Danish School) – Academic excellence in matriculation and F.Sc.
- Zeeshan Shahid – Inventor of an airbag vest for bikers (National Innovation Award)
- Areeba Aamir – Skilled embroidery designer at Sapphire Retail Ltd through the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund scholarship
- Haleema Sadia – Developed a Blood Donation Management System (PM’s Laptop Scheme)
- Kashf Shah – Founder of Pakistan’s largest volunteer network; initiatives include planting 100,000 trees and organizing free medical camps
- Faris Ahmed – Climate advocate, co-author of a bill for climate refugee protection
- Aatirah Amir (COMSATS University) – Sar Sabz Qadam project, generating electricity from pedestrian energy
- Muhammad Sohail Adnan – World No. 1 in U13 squash, gold medalist in the Asian Junior Championship
