Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam-based director of Nature organisation Vikas Saravakota, has been selected to represent India at the prestigious Asia-Pacific regional meeting of the Youth Democracy Network (YDN) to be held in Tokyo, Japan from July 30 to August 1.

Vikas, who is working towards promoting social justice, youth empowerment, and inclusive governance in tribal regions of Andhra Pradesh, will join emerging democracy leaders from across Asia and the Pacific to strengthen youth-led efforts to defend democratic values and civic participation.

Coming from a rural background and rooted in community service, Vikas has led several impactful initiatives in tribal areas, including the facilitation of welfare schemes, promotion of PESA governance, legal awareness drives, and youth capacity-building programmes.

Speaking on the occasion, Vikas said, “I look forward to learning from fellow youth leaders and bringing those insights back to strengthen our grassroots work.”

The Youth Democracy Network (YDN) is a global platform convened by the Partnership for Strengthening Civic Democracies, a multilateral initiative that brings together democratic governments, civil society actors, and young changemakers. YDN empowers youth to take the lead in promoting transparency, countering disinformation, protecting civic spaces and building resilient democratic systems across the world.