Our youth need to be adequately equipped to become active citizens
In the margin of UNESCO’s 39th General Conference in Paris, on 13 November 2017, the Africa Department organized in collaboration with YFU Africa (Youth for Understanding), an information meeting on the YFU’s new Youth Leadership Programme.
YFU, a non-profit international exchange organization currently active in over 55+ countries across the world, believes that Intercultural exchange programmes, among others, respond to an identified need, especially for Youth in Africa. Its objectives are to: advance intercultural understanding, mutual respect, and social responsibility through educational exchanges for youth, families, and communities; inspire and equip African youth as part of Africa’s developmental agenda; enhance the relevance of facilitating intercultural understanding between young people from other parts of the world and Africa; and facilitate and encourage intra-African exchanges, in line with Agenda 2063.
The participants, Ambassadors, Representatives of Members States and Humanitarian Associations, greatly welcomed the initiative. After the thorough presentations of the President of YFU Africa Initiative, Jaymion Hendricks, who also shared his experience of the tremendous impact YFU has had on his personal and professional life, and that of the National Director for Belgium, Rostand Tchuilieu, who explained the functioning of the YFU and his vision for Africa, the Chair, Jaya Conhye-Soobrayen (Africa Department), engaged the audience in an open dialogue. The audience showed particular interest in the initiative and explored the means to implement it in their own country.
The meeting ended on a very positive note, with participants exchanging contact information with the YFU representatives and discussing participation options as well as the way forward.
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