SCO adopts joint appeal to youth to counter attempts to involve them in terror activities

India and other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) today adopted a Joint Appeal to Youth under which they would organise comprehensive educational work as well as spiritual and moral education to counter attempts to involve young people in the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups.

The leaders of the eight SCO member states signed the Qingdao Declaration at the end of a two-day summit which was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin among others.

At the proposal of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev the SCO summit adopted Joint Appeal by the Heads of State of the SCO to Youth. The initiative was first announced by the Uzbek President in 2017.

"The Member States have noted the importance of combining the efforts of the international community in countering attempts to involve young people in the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups," said the Qingdao Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of SCO.

They also adopted the Joint Appeal to Youth, in which they put forth the intention to organise comprehensive educational work as well as the spiritual and moral education of the younger generation in the SCO, it added.

Commenting on the significance of the join appeal, Madhumita Hazarika Bhagat, JS & National Coordinator (SCO), said it was an important outcome of the summit.