Cameroon Celebrates 2020 International Peace Day with a call on Living Together

Cameroon Celebrates 2020 International Peace Day with a call on Living Together

As activities marking the 39th edition of the international peace day are observed nationwide, the ministry of youth affairs and civic education organized this September 21 an official ceremony in Yaounde, Cameroon. The ceremony which comes at a moment Cameroon is entangled in the Boko Haram war in the Far North region and the crisis rocking the two English speaking regions in the North West and South West, has been an occasion to reiterate calls for a peaceful and serene atmosphere between Cameroonians. The context of this celebration which has become historical worldwide was unveiled by Hadja Ouza Maha Hibrahim, director of civic education and national integration in the host ministry. This was followed by a symbolic handing over a flame describing peace demanded by youth leaders. The symbolic flame handed over to the minister by Fadimatou Iyawa Ousmanou, president of the national youth council of Cameroon comes after a recent declaration made by young leaders under the banner of the youth council. Regional Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Freedom for Central Africa, and Director of the Center for Human Rights and Democracy for Central Africa who was the main guest at this ceremony took the rostrum to address the public and mostly the youths. Louis Marie Bouaka outlined the fact that the consolidation of peace is costly but absence of peace is more costly. Chairing the official celebration, Minister Mounouna Foutsou, youth affairs and civic education Boss in his key note address has underscored the values of peace. The Minister said Peace, is a permanent quest, which is threatened every day, everywhere in the world. There is need to build peace and harmony for development. He said: “The celebration of this day established by the United Nations, and in view of the theme set for this edition, namely: “shaping peace together”, reminds us that peace can no longer be the business of a few individuals. Isolated, or some personal initiatives. Just as concerns relating to peace have become the concern of people, nations and the whole world, the theme of this edition challenges us and invites us more than ever to pull all energies and all skills in order to join with the international community to affirm our commitment to peace.”   The call made by the minister as the theme of this year indicates was more focused on shaping peace together, living together and putting aside tribalism and hate speeches which cause more harm than good and create a lot of division among populations.   The ceremony that took place at the new building of the ministry of youth affairs and civic education located at the administrative center, ended with a mini show case of some arts and photos highlighting the benefits of peace in our country.               Elise Kenimbeni

Read More
 Three Year Special Youth Plan: Mounouna Foutsou launches REAMORCE Training

Three Year Special Youth Plan: Mounouna Foutsou launches REAMORCE Training

Youth affairs and civic education Minister, Mounouna Foutsou officially launched on June 17, 2020 in Yaounde, the national training workshop for leading trainers in moral, civic and entrepreneurial rearmament (REAMORCE). The training organized at the Yaounde-mimboman regional multipurpose youth empowerment centre aimed at upgrading the skills of young people beneficiaries of the Three Year Special Youth Plan (TYSYP). On a welcome note, Yvette Eyenga, the Head of the centre, hosting the event has praised the initiative and the choice of the venue for this decisive training. She said this workshop equally falls within the framework of stated missions of the ministry that has to follow up young people’s socio-economic reinsertion. In his presentation, the Director of the department of youth economic empowerment, Abdoul Karim Nassourou unveiled the agenda and contents of the long week training workshop. He said discussions and trainings shall focus mainly on socio-economic reinsertion and entrepreneurship skills. While chairing the ceremony, Minister Mounouna Foutsou as usual called on youths to integrate civic and patriotic behaviours as key fundamentals to success. And came back on the origins of the ongoing TYSYP. Minister Mounouna Foutsou said: “You must have now understood that moral, civic and entrepreneurial rearmament, abbreviated REAMORCE/TYSYP, is one of the major thrusts and the second phase of the recruitment of young people under the Three-year “Special-Youth” Plan, following their prior registration at the National Youth Observatory (NYO)” According to the minister of youth affairs and civic education, this rearmament phase, as its name suggests, is intended to cleanse and restore the morals and civic-mindedness of young Cameroonian citizens. It is a means to let them once again undergo a specific training to promote moral, civic and entrepreneurial values, in order to ensure that those young beneficiaries who have undergone this training have properly understood and integrated the attitudes, conduct and determination, or the fighting spirit that is necessary for them to succeed. Moreover, he said: “For, without the thirst to conquer and win, there is no success. In the words of an expert, we must stand up to the challenge and not be discouraged. If you were born poor, it’s not your fault, but if you die poor, it’s your fault. There is only one answer to failure; that is, victory. Youth entrepreneurship plays a key role as one of its strategic priorities namely, encourage young people to create jobs for themselves and their peers in the fields of agriculture, industry/crafts, the digital economy and technological innovation.” The officially launching ceremony ended on a note of satisfaction and expectations from the minister of youth affairs and civic education who underscored the need for fruitful and viable reflections during the training sessions.         Elise Kenimbeni

Read More