The Unilever Youth Forum 2016 organized by the Unilever Student Ambassadors- SPARKS, together with the Unilever Interns 2016 was held at The Kingsbury, Colombo. The event was themed “Youth for Sustainability” and motivated over 100 undergraduates from across the island to assemble for a constructive discussion on sustainability in Sri Lanka. The event encouraged future leaders to “Think. Innovate. Act” while focusing on the Sustainable Development goals by the United Nations.

Mr. Carl Cruz, CEO of Unilever Sri Lanka cheered the young spirits with a welcoming remark on youth driving sustainability and how corporates like Unilever are working towards achieving it. The forum expanded into a moderated debate where four enthusiastic individuals expressed their views on, the role of the government and corporates in making sustainable living commonplace, and how sustainability can be achieved through product design, innovation and responsible consumption. The debate also gave youth the opportunity to pitch in and share their views with the audience.

The keynote speaker Dr. Harsha Subasinghe, President and CEO of CodeGen talked about the urgency of taking action towards sustainable living by pointing out how a free breath of fresh air will soon become a rare luxury. He drew upon his personal experiences and noted how we need to start the change from within ourselves by changing our mindset and behaviours, before expecting policies and others to change. 

The event proceeded with a panel discussion playing on the diverse strengths and the backgrounds of the panelists. The panelists Mr. Chinathaka Abeysekara, Ms. Anoka Abeyrathne, Mr. Chaminda Serasinha and Ms. Lonali Rodrigo accompanied by the moderator Mr. Deshal de Mel shared facts along with personal experiences and distinct facets of integrating sustainability into the lifestyles of the community.

The audience had the opportunity to share their opinions and questions with the panel. The enthusiastic audience added depth to the discussion. Amongst the audience, was a young entrepreneur and undergraduate who highlighted the need to spread awareness around organic agriculture and sustainable value chains in the agricultural setting of Sri Lanka

The forum concluded with the participants realizing the significance of adopting a sustainable lifestyle. The Unilever Youth Forum, 2016 was a platform that inspired young leaders to make an impactful difference for a better future.