Vice President Faisal Naseem stated on Tuesday that the voices of young leaders across the globe are the driving forces for change. He made the remarks while speaking at the ceremony to launch the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) UPSHIFT programme in the Maldives.

Speaking at the event, the Vice President encouraged children to incorporate critical, analytical, and innovative thinking into their daily lives. The Vice President advised children to ponder everyday issues and think of creative ways to address and solve them. He also emphasised the importance of teamwork and urged all children to work together to achieve their common goals.

UPSHIFT is a UNICEF global innovation programme that aims to equip young change-makers with transferrable skills for life and livelihood. Students from grades 7-8 from 48 schools across the Maldives will participate in the pilot programme. The key focus of the UPSHIFT programme is on skills-building, civic engagement, entrepreneurship, and empowerment.