The atmosphere was charged with excitement among young delegates for the Y20’s pre-G20 summit during the local excursion in Leh on Wednesday as they visited the Hemis and Thiksey monasteries and witnessed spirituality and nature blended together.

The delegates and guests were especially impressed by the magnificent ancient monasteries.

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More than 100 delegates from 30 countries, who arrived in Leh yesterday afternoon for the formal Y20 meeting on Thursday, were accorded a warm welcome at the Leh airport.

The delegates were excited to witness the traditional mask dance at these monasteries.

The excursion turned out to be a discovery of mystic charm of the region for the delegates and guests, as they experienced the richness of Ladakh culture. They found the Hemis and Thiksey monasteries a testament of the region’s unique traditions.

The delegates, in the morning, had a refreshing yoga session to kick start their day that included the visit to the two monasteries.

The serene beauty of Leh provides the perfect backdrop for the Y20 Pre-Summit, as delegates from around the world gather to collaborate and drive positive change for youth empowerment.

The Y 20 Pre Summit Meeting under G20 hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs is being organised from 26 to 28 April.

Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur, Joint Secretary G20 , Saugat Biswas, Divisional Commissioner, Ladakh; Pankaj Kumar Singh, Director, Youth Affairs; Manish Gautam, Director, PIB addressed the media at the curtain raiser of Y20 Pre-Summit in Leh.

Briefing the media, Joint Secretary, G20 Nagraj said that this engagement is primarily to deliberate on the issues which concern the youth of the world. It is a tremendous opportunity for India to have a pre summit meeting to be hosted in Leh.

Director, Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, Pankaj Kumar Singh said the meeting will bring together leading experts, decision makers, and youth leaders from G20 Countries to discuss and formulate actionable plans on the growth and development of the people.

The meeting will focus on the five Y20 themes of Shared Future: Youth in Democracy and Governance ; Future of Work: Industry 4.0, Innovation & 21st Century Skills; Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a Way of Life; Peace Building and Reconciliation: Ushering in an era of No War and  Health, Wellbeing & Sports: Agenda for Youth. He also said that the Summit will provide a platform for open discussions, presentations and interactive sessions that will focus on addressing the challenges faced by young people and formulating a roadmap for their development.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Brigadier (Dr.) BD Mishra (Retd) will address the participants.