International Youth Day 2020
Youth Engagement for Global Action
The theme of International Youth Day 2020, “Youth Engagement for Global Action” seeks to highlight the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes, as well as draw lessons on how their representation and engagement in formal institutional politics can be significantly enhanced.
In order for us to progress and grow as a culture, we must acknowledge the significant role that young people play in our society and community. To celebrate IYD, we asked young people in the Fijian community to share their experiences of what it was like to grow up as a Fijian in the UK. One young woman was brave enough to reach out and share a short reflection of her initial experience. May we continue to encourage and support the young people in our community, as their involvement can and will change the world as we know it.
A.L
For me, growing up in the UK as a Fijian was very difficult at the start. My family and I moved to the UK when I was 5. When we got here, I really missed my grandparents and found myself questioning my parents decision. I always wondered why we were here and not in Fiji with my grandparents. That being said, I know it was hard for my parents, especially for my dad, as he was trying to explain to me why we had to move.
Growing up and hearing it again now has made me realise that their reasons for moving were far more detailed and complicated than what I thought when I was younger. I did feel out of place when going to school for the first few months, but I quickly adapted to my new surroundings.
I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything. Everything happens for a reason - some are blessings and some are lessons. Growing up in the UK has made me very grateful to my parents, knowing that they had to make one of the hardest decisions in their lives, to leave everything and their loved ones in Fiji, to start a new chapter here in the UK. I also now realise that growing up you tend to forget that everything your parents do is so they can create a better life for you and your siblings. Just like my parents did for me and mine.