In another opportunity to demonstrate leadership in Peace Building, LocalYouth Corner in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education organized another workshop on “Empowering the Youth as Actors of Peace in a Connected Commonwealth” on March 7th, 2019. Amongst others, varsity youths, budding and experienced professionals and entrepreneurs, community leaders and some Open Dreams Pre-Scholars turned out in their numbers at the Chamber of Commerce, Yaoundé to participate in the event.
In his welcome note, the Chairperson of Commonwealth Youth Network, Christian Tijani from Jamaica, reiterated on how pleased he was with the series of Peace Building events organized in Cameroon prior to the Commonwealth Day.
“It is disheartening to know that peace in Cameroon is strongly threatened by the Boko Haram insurgency and most recently the Anglophone crisis. Cameroon is at its peak of the number of Internally Displaced Citizens and Migrants ever recorded. However, you are never too young to act or lead the country out of its present situation……” were the few lines I got from Minister Mounouna Foutsou’s opening speech.
In an extra-ordinary showcase of world-class lessons, the first round of presentations focused on the Concept of Peace, Hate and Violence in Cameroon and the role of the media in propagating or countering hate speech. The deliberations, facilitated by carefully selected talented Cameroonians, were centered on contemporary and global issues, and customized to suit Africa’s context, and Cameroon’s daily reality in particular. Inter alia, the far-reaching and numerous opportunities provided by Commonwealth as explained by the representative of the Ministry of External Relations, MINREX, Mme. Lukong Mirabel, invigorated the participants to venture into peace building activities.
After a short musical interlude from a Spread Love Ambassador artist, the second session kicked off with speakers on the Role of the Youth in the Prevention and Countering Of Violent Extremism, P/CVE and the Opportunities for the Youth at the Ministry of Youth Affairs and her efforts in P/CVE. Thanks to LocalYouth Corner, the participating youngsters, had been endowed with the quintessential values for Peace Building, formidable mind-frame and appropriate skills set. Thus, we are poised to disrupt existing paradigms in any environment of ours and in a long-term will initiate the radical shift that Cameroon and Africa needs to take a giant leap forward, in the peaceful arena.
The program ended with the award of certificates to participants