Sidra Iqbal, celebrity trainer in public speaking for the TCS Hyde Park Juniors (HPJ) Program was fortunate to be one of the 700 participants selected out of 4000 applicants, and win a travel scholarship to Scotland to attend this esteemed event. As a youth delegate of Pakistan, and as the chosen spokesperson for the region of Asia (amongst 400 Asian delegates), she feels that youth-led development is perhaps one of the most effective tools in reaching the global aims of international prosperity and peaceful coexistence.

At the Congress Sidra was truly in the thick of things, conducting a mentoring workshop ‘Spread Your Wings and Fly’; discussing and drafting the Congress policy document with groups of diverse nationalities and backgrounds; refurbishing an apartment for the homeless with her clan as the Action Project; and the numerous informal late-night-over-a-pizza talks.

“It is not the battles that we have lost along the way that haunt us the most,” says Sidra. “But those we never mustered the courage to fight. It is not when idealism fails that we are most disappointed, but when it is surrendered without a struggle. At conventions, such as the 3rd Youth Congress 2005, where you meet tens of zealous young delegates trying to contribute to uphold their pledges and promises, one realizes that yes a better tomorrow is possible.” Indeed! Sidra has joined ARY Television as Product Development Manager for the entire Network spread over 12 channels, in addition to being inducted as Trainer for the ‘Women As Global Leaders’ Conference organized by the UAE Ministry of Education and scheduled for March 2006.