Every year, National Youth Day is celebrated on 12th January to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the great Indian monk and philosopher. The day pays homage to his philosophies and teaching which inspired and empowered the youth. On this day, cultural events, competitions, motivational talks, seminars, essay-writing competitions, recitations, presentations and workshops are organised in schools, colleges, universities and other places.
This year, the spirit of National Youth Day is escalated with opportunities for action by the youth to lead and bring change within the communities for the betterment and development of the country as a whole.
Date and Theme for Celebration of National Youth Day
National Youth Day will be celebrated on 12th January every year and different themes are launched to inspire the youth. The theme for National Youth Day 2025 is “Youth for a Sustainable Future: Shaping the Nation with Resilience and Responsibility”. This theme would cover topics such as the responsibilities of youth in climate change and will focus on innovation as well as societal development.
Tourists who are travelling South India can visit the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, where Swami Vivekananda attained enlightenment and also visit the nearby places to visit in Kanyakumari.
Swami Vivekananda’s Vision for Youth and the History of National Youth Day
Born on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata, Swami Vivekananda is popularly known for his ideas about empowerment for the youth. Apart from being a Hindu monk and philosopher, he is also known to be a religious teacher, author and one of the key figures in introducing Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.
His philosophies and teachings started reaping international recognition after his speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. He put stress during his speech on youth empowerment, universal brotherhood and self-realisation as the very core of social transformation.
He was a passionate believer in nationalism and insisted that the nation’s future lay in its citizens’ hands. He wanted “to set into motion a machinery which will bring noblest ideas to the doorstep of even the poorest and the meanest”. Since his teaching reverberates with the aspirations of the youth, it was declared in 1984 by the Government of India that his birth anniversary would henceforth be celebrated as National Youth Day to propagate his ideas and values. Since 1985, the day has been celebrated nationally with jubilation. The Government considered that such philosophy and ideals could be a “great source of inspiration for the Indian Youth Day”.
To remember the great scholar one can visit the Biju Patnaik Park which has a statue of him and also check out other places to visit in Bhubaneshwar.
Significance of National Youth Day
National Youth Day signifies Swami Vivekananda’s philosophies and teachings that inspire and encourage the youth to face life challenges. He believed education helps in striving for growth, individually and collectively.
The main objectives of the day were unity among the youth, self-discipline and spiritual growth, relating to patriotism and cultural pride.
The National Youth Day would encourage youth to:
- Work Towards Excellence: Some quotes by Swami Vivekananda can motivate the youth to attain self-discipline and work towards gaining excellence.
- Leadership Skills: Such teachings help the youth build up a strong character and moral integrity so that they can attain leadership skills. So, the day emphasises ethics, discipline and spirituality to mold one’s character.
- Focus on National Growth: He always thought that the youth were the future of the nation and that, by strengthening their minds, we could strive for a more progressive country.
- Education First: Its basic foundation for both personal and national development. In keeping with that, holistic learning sees the commitment of various events on this day.
- Universal Brotherhood: Swami Vivekananda preached universal brotherhood, spirituality and Vedanta around the world; thus, this day is equally important for the rest of the world.
Celebration of National Youth Day
The National Youth Day in India is celebrated through the collective efforts of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Government of India and all the State Governments, by organising various events on the line of Swamiji and his dreams. The event is celebrated for an entire week from 12 to 16 January. The event brings national integrity and community harmony and helps in enabling youth development. Besides these, the event also aims to showcase the varied talents of youth through several activities at schools, colleges and universities. Some of these would include cultural programs, adventure games, quiz competitions, motivational speeches, seminars, yoga, essay competitions, recitations, presentations and workshops.
Some of the activities that are prevalent every year are:
- Swami Vivekananda Reading Sessions: Various sessions with the youth participating in reading passages are organised in different cities of the country. These help in bringing out the teachings and philosophies of Swami Vivekananda on National Youth Day. His philosophies inspired by Indian tradition and the teachings of his master Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa teaches one about Swamiji’s philosophy concerning self-reliance and empowerment.
- Rituals at Ramakrishna Math: Swami Vivekananda is the principal disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. He founded the Ramakrishna Math. As of this day, 12th January is commemorated as a major event in several centres of the Math and Mission. The programs are graced by mangal aarti, special puja, meditation, fire rituals, devotional songs and sandhya aarti. For those who wish to attend this event at any of the Maths, you should go ahead and book hotels near Shri Ramakrishna Math Chennai, Chennai low-rate and comfortable stay arrangements.
- Seminars and Workshops: Various educational events, like seminars and workshops, are organised to provide knowledge on Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and how necessary they are for youth empowerment.
- Cultural Activities: Music, dance and drama bring opportunities for youngsters to showcase their creativity and breed confidence within them.
- Youth Leadership Awards: Awards represent all the recognition of what efforts have been put in, both as an individual and a unit. These leadership award ceremonies recognise young leaders from various sectors such as sports, social work, academics and entrepreneurship who have made remarkable landmarks on the trajectory of the country’s progressive development.
- Community-Building Activities: There are a number of community-building activities such as cleanliness drives, tree plantations and environmental awareness campaigns undertaken by the different NGOs and local communities on National Youth Day. Such efforts are really helpful in uplifting society.
- Youth Day Pledge at Ceremony: During the Youth Day pledge ceremony, participants take an oath to contribute toward the nation and make themselves self-sufficient and confident using their talents for the cause of betterment for the society.
- Yoga Sessions: Swami Vivekananda has put great emphasis on being fit and having a healthy mind along with propagating the knowledge of yoga in the whole world. His birthday celebrations have yoga sessions and fitness challenges across the country.
- Debates and essay competitions: This type of competition that is currently happening in all corners of the nation revolves around the various teachings of Swami Vivekananda such as youth empowerment and national development issues, besides his life and philosophies.
Thus, the National Youth Day marks a significant day for the nation. Through such events, Swami Vivekananda and his philosophies are still guiding the nation. His philosophies related to brotherhood, spiritualism and empowerment of youth inculcate better changes in society. Participating in celebrations and initiatives on Swami Vivekananda’s teachings could do well for self-development and enhance self-esteem, which would in turn help build society.
You can also visit Belur Math to join the celebration while exploring Kolkata. If you want to participate in any program in celebration of the occasion, there are numerous budget-friendly Treebo Club hotels around the venues celebrating National Youth Day. In addition to that, you can take the initiative by organising events within your locality by booking a banquet hall in the nearby hotels and contributing to the betterment of society.
