Two young Bermudians will be travelling to the United Kingdom today to participate in the "opportunity of a lifetime''.

Bermuda College Student Council vice-president Ilethea Morris and Reo Peniston, who attends Lenoir-Rhyne College in South Carolina, will make the journey to join approximately 250 international delegates at the Commonwealth Youth Forum.

The pair were selected after undergoing three extensive interviews carried out by the Department of Youth and Sport.

The Forum will be held at the Redford Army Residential Centre where the international representatives and their UK hosts will spend a week participating in various youth activities.

All of the international participants -- from some 65 Commonwealth states -- will be met by UK hosts and dispersed to separate youth hostels throughout England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

During this "homestay'' period, the delegates will have the opportunity to experience and learn about the UK's youth provisions, explore and share a variety of youth issues, as well as join their hosts in various social and cultural activities.

The actual forum will begin on October 20 and will comprise of an official reception, several workshops, group discussions and a youth market place where trading of foreign souvenirs will take place.

The objectives of the forum include the building of long-term links between young people and youth organisations in the Commonwealth, the opportunity to learn about their Commonwealth counterparts, and the facilitation of personal attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding.

The participants will also strive to develop realistic Youth Action Plans and a Youth Forum Statement.

They will even have the opportunity to meet certain heads of Government and attend the Prince's Trust Commonwealth concert to be held on October 26.

"It is a rare opportunity to meet and learn about different people from different countries,'' Ilethea told The Royal Gazette . "I am very excited.'' Reo, her fellow representative, seemed just as excited: "It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm going to try to take advantage of it because I don't know when I'll be able to return to Europe again.'' "I am hoping to gain some insight on different cultures so I can come back (to Bermuda) with new ideas to improve youth relations with society,'' he added. "I am really excited. Earlier in the week I was counting down the days. Now, I'm counting down the hours.''