The Sydney Declaration – Owning Our Future

PREAMBLE

We, the FORUM, on this 21st Anniversary of the Association, having met from 28th to 31st October 2009 in Sydney, Australia, reaffirm our vision to be recognised as the programme of choice for young people, reflected in quality, growth and external perception.

At a time in which the world is beset by a range of challenges around faith and family, the FORUM reasserted the principles and values of self-reliance, interdependence, integrity, accessibility, transparency, inclusivity and empowerment to ensure continued quality, relevance and sustainability of the Award programme within a holistic development framework.

The FORUM reiterated the necessity for the Award programme to recognise the importance of supporting National Award Authorities (NAAs) through capacity building projects and facilitating links to national agendas which will inform and extend the Award programme.

FORUM welcomed the opportunity to benefit from the experiences of the youth delegates. NAAs, Trustees, World Fellows, supporters, Ministers & Directors of Education, Youth and Sport and agreed that they played a valuable role in highlighting, exchanging and documenting national, regional and international experiences.

The FORUM acknowledged the importance of youth perspectives and their meaningful participation in and contribution to both the governance and programmatic areas of the Award programme and agreed that the national and regional youth representatives have strategic roles to play in this regard.

Presentations and discussions took into account the challenges of globalisation, changing youth culture and the need for creativity and innovation in addressing youth development through the Award programme. The need to ensure professionalism, clear and consistent values and good governance at all levels of the Association was noted.

A CALL OF ACTION

We resolve to step up the process of bringing clarity and consistency to our common purpose; fostering agents of social changes guided by the principles of self-reliance, interdependence and altruistic action, where boundaries of age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ability, class and creed, fall away.

We affirm the Award as a programme which highlights practical experience and exceptional efforts as drivers along life’s journey and where through our programme we give young people the opportunities and confidence to keep learning, do more, and go further. This encapsulates the original vision of our founder, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

We seek further to arrive at a common understanding and communication of a programme globally recognised, widely endorsed and quality assured through the “One Award Alliance”, to which we all belong.