THE National Steering Committee on Values and Attitudes is hoping that its new ‘Real Man’ campaign will to help reverse some of the negative trends in the society among young men.

The campaign was launched Wednesday at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, will focus on the promotion of respect, responsibility and discipline among men.

Representatives from politics, business and sports delivered stirring tributes to the scores of male students from several primary and high schools in and around the Corporate Area at the launch.

The keynote speaker, Rev Garnett Roper, in delivering a brief address, highlighted the growing number of young men in the Jamaican penal system, arguing that it was time for men to know what to say yes to and what to decline.

“One of the things that marks out a real man is courage and determination. Our young men, especially have to know that they don’t have to succumb to everything that society puts in their way. This is why so many of our young men are now behind bars,” Roper told the launch. “To be a real man you have to learn how to say ‘no’ and what to say ‘yes’ to. It is gentlemanly to be honest and help in caring for the weak and it is time to bring that back into society, said Roper.

Opposition parliamentarian Mike Henry who also addressed the young men lauded the organisers of the event, describing the initiative as an important step in the right direction in nation-building.

“It is time to start a revolution of the mind and spirit in this country. I must congratulate the organisers of this campaign because this is what the society needs,” Henry said.

Chairperson of the committee, Dr Heather Little-White, said the initiative was primarily aimed at helping to reverse some of the negative trends in the society among young men.

“As a society we have known about the disrespect whether man to man or man to woman that is hurting our society and so the National Values and Attitudes campaign was set up to help bring about a gentler and more respectful Jamaica. We lament to see the state that our country is in but there is hope. The Real Man campaign is a start,” Little-White said. “It is about reversing the negative trends in our society but it has to be a partnership among everybody. We know we are short on funds but we have been receiving help from corporate Jamaica,” she added.

Other messages delivered at the launch came in the form of song, dance and presentations by athletes, entertainers, business professionals, youth leaders and representatives from the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Defence Force.