Coca-Cola announced its partnership with AISEC in Sri Lanka at the Coca-Cola YouthSpeak Forum on Saturday October 14.
The YouthSpeak Forum (is part of the Youth4GlobalGoals Campaign) an initiative powered by AIESEC aimed to activate the leadership potential of young people of the world by engaging and mobilizing them through offering purposeful and cross-cultural projects around the globe that are designed to impact and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
AIESEC is a global not-for-profit, youth-led organization, striving to achieve peace and fulfilment of humankind’s potential by activating leadership qualities in youth through learning from practical experiences in challenging environments.
 Priyantha Ranasinghe |
Sohan Wijegunawardana, President AIESEC Sri Lanka said, “The partnership between Coca-Cola and AIESEC Sri Lanka is a good fit as we complement each other; we both recognise the importance of empowering Sri Lanka’s youth to be self-driven and socially impactful in a positive manner. “We were thrilled by the engagement during the launch by Coca-Cola and look forward to the continued support in shaping the YouthSpeak Forums given Coca-Cola’s role to inspire thought leadership for the next generation.” A keynote address at the Coca-Cola Youth Speak Forum 2017 event was delivered by Priyantha Ranasinghe, Country Human Resources Manager of Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka Ltd., on the theme ‘A Millennial’s Perspective on Decent Work’, linking to SDG 8 ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’ wherein he focused on ‘an in-depth look at talent management, career development and managing individual performance’.
He delivered a rousing motivational presentation to the young delegates on a comprehensive pathway to achieving a ‘decent career’ through ‘decent work’ and ‘decent performance’, without compromising on the fundamental tenets of freedom, equity, security, and human dignity.
He also emphasised not to compromise integrity at any cost, and working in private sectors means strict adherence to a company’s code of conduct.
The Coca-Cola YouthSpeak Forum was based on the results of the Youth Survey conducted by AIESEC which found out of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs 8 and 9 on ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’ and ‘Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure’ respectively were considered the topmost priorities in Sri Lanka.
Since AIESEC was founded, it has engaged and developed over 1,000,000 young people who have been through an AIESEC experienceThe impact of AIESEC can be seen through its alumni who represent business, NGO and world leaders, including one Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Martti Atisaari of Finland. Coca-Cola’s partnership supports AIESEC in organizing regional, national and international summits to promote the discussion of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and provides a platform for young future leaders to engage and interact. It also facilitates AIESEC to organize a network of cross-cultural exchanges in the form of volunteering experiences and professional internships. Making a significant contribution, the partnership will bring together companies and youth in developing a roadmap for sustainable development.
Ranasinghe said, “Equipping youth in Sri Lanka to these far-reaching, complex challenges the nation faces and engaging them to find solutions creates resilient capacities and personalities, while driving opportunities for networking and creating employment opportunities.”