Malta will be a hive of activity next week as heads of government, youth, civil society organisations and the business community from across the Commonwealth meet to discuss contemporary issues.
The Commonwealth Youth Forum will be opened by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi on Friday. In all, more than 1,000 delegates will be converging in Malta from Thursday to participate in dialogues in the lead-up to this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The opening of the Commonwealth Youth Forum will mark the beginning of discussions held in conjunction with this year's CHOGM. It ends on November 23. The Commonwealth People's Forum will be held on November 21 to 25, the Commonwealth Business Forum on November 22 to 24, and CHOGM from November 25 to 27.
The 2005 CHOGM will bring together 53 presidents, prime ministers and some royalty or their representatives from Commonwealth member countries. This year's theme is 'Networking the Commonwealth for Development', and delegates will discuss how developing countries can bridge the digital divide, and identify ways to enhance co-operation for development and democracy.
Their aim will be to strengthen Commonwealth networks to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
The CYF will be opened in the presence of Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Florence Mugasha and host Youth Minister Louis Galea. The event will bring together 120 young people from across the Commonwealth to voice their concerns on issues such as education, health and sexuality, good governance and active citizenship, sustainable livelihoods, enterprise, and information and communication technology.
The youth forum is organised by the Commonwealth Youth Programme in partnership with Malta's Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment, the National Youth Council of Malta, and the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council.
Ignatius Takawira, director of the CYP at the Commonwealth Secretariat, said: "The participation of young people in such a forum ensures that their development concerns are not only heard, but are also seen to be heard. They play an important role in shaping the present and the future of their communities and their countries."
Mark Collins, director of the Commonwealth Foundation, is expecting representatives from 200 organisations at the Commonwealth People's Forum at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta. The people's forum is a gathering of civil society organisations, professional associations, and cultural groups in the Commonwealth. The concerns of civil society representatives will be placed before Commonwealth foreign ministers who will meet on November 23 and 24, just before CHOGM.
Dr Collins said: "We have a number of important events on the agenda for the people's forum, including a debate on faith and development, which is attracting a great deal of interest. Greater focus is likely to be given to the millennium development goals and the challenge of achieving sustainable development and economic justice."
The Commonwealth Business Forum, organised by the Commonwealth Business Council and the government, will focus on new opportunities for investment partnerships across Europe and the Mediterranean. About 500 government and business leaders from throughout the Commonwealth will attend this forum, which has as its theme 'The Commonwealth, Europe and the Mediterranean - Window on Business Opportunities'.
At CHOGM itself, Commonwealth leaders will discuss Commonwealth and global issues, and agree on policies and initiatives for action by the association over the next few years.