New Delhi, Dec 5: India will head the first Asian Youth Hostelling Union representing all youth hostel organisations in the continent that will promote efforts to provide adequate accommodation to young people.
Mohammad Shafi Pandit, a retired IAS officer from Jammu and Kashmir, will be chairperson of the newly created body which will take forward the youth hostelling movement in the Asian region.
Pandit was entrusted the new responsibility at a meeting of the International Youth Hostelling here yesterday which was attended by representatives from across the world.
The Asia Youth Hostelling Union will represent all the youth hostelling organisations of the Asia region. The Union will promote collaborative efforts among Asian countries In boosting hotel facilities for youths on a long term basis.
Speaking on the occasion, Pandit, currently national president of Youth Hostel Association of India, highlighted the need to make the youth hostel movement more vibrant by making it largely youth-led and improving participation of women in its affairs.
The Youth Hostel Association of India (YHAI) has been associated with the International Youth Hostelling which has a network in over 90 countries.
YHAI is an associate member and part of the Hostelling International, UK, since 1952, which has a network of 4000 youth hostels. The members of YHAI are eligible to stay in any youth hostel, in any of the associate countries.
In India, YHAI has a network of more than 95 youth hostels, starting from Leh-Ladakh to the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
