 The government recently approved a half-day holiday for people between14 and 28 years old on National Youth Day. More than 300 million young people will enjoy a half-day off on May 4 every year. The announcement has triggered hot media discussions over the age limit.
Beijing Youth Daily has an article arguing that applying the holiday to 14-28 years old is confusing. He says the annual Ten Outstanding Youth awards go mostly to people in their thirties or forties. Why aren't the "holiday youth" and "award youth" from the same age group? The United Nations defines youth as the age group from 15 to 40. The author wonders why, if "youth" means people from 14 to 28 years old, people from 29 to 40 are not included?
An opinion published in the Yunnan Daily says the half-day holiday has only symbolic meaning. People in this age group are facing great pressure. Teenage students are facing entrance exams to high school or college, and college graduates are busy searching for jobs. The holiday will serve to make the 300 million young people feel the care from society. However, the author says more needs to be done to actually improve their lives.
An article in the Workers' Daily says the uproar over the upcoming holiday is not just about the age limit. Implementation will also be a problem. What's more, the article points out, Youth Day is a tribute to the patriotic movement for democracy and science in the early twentieth century. The holiday should carry meaning, not just a break. The article doubts that the value can be represented by a half-day holiday.
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