Monrovia- An international conference on the advancement of adolescents throughout Africa began its five-day run at the Young Political Leadership Africa School. The theme of the conference is “Galvanizing Young Leaders with Integrity and Character to Defend Democracy and Inclusive Governance in Africa,” started yesterday November 21, 2022, in Monrovia.
The goal of the international conference, which included young political leaders from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria, and Liberia, was to comprehend the effects of democracy in Africa and the global community. The international symposium, which is set to culminate this Friday, is one of several activities encouraging young African political leaders to be aware of contemporary reality.
As the keynote speaker, Mr. Jim Wight of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director to Liberia cautioned the young people to be disciplined and hard-working, noting that it is up to them to safeguard Africa.
He noted that Young people need to understand the importance of peace and defending democracy in Africa. Mr. Wright stated that as the younger generation comprises 60% of the global and continental population, it is the duty of leaders to mentor and encourage those who are working to advance the developmental agenda.
“In order to inspire people to support your agenda as a leader, you must first be a good servant to those you lead. If your main objective is to get rich and famous at the expense of the people you serve, you are not ready to be a leader. To be a good leader, you must be willing to support others around you; otherwise, there is no reason for them to follow you.”
He encouraged the participants to support a leader who can change the nation for the better because it will be difficult to find a leader who can guide the nation in the correct direction.
“Participating in electoral processes is crucial if you want your voice to be heard and you realize that significant elections will have results. Regardless of whether you won or lost, you still need to make the required adjustments for upcoming elections. As you have the energy to make a difference, you need to be patient and not get discouraged if the issue you set out to fix doesn’t work out the way you had hoped.”
The remarks were delivered by Mr. Wright on Monday in Monrovia at the start of a five-day Young Political Leadership Africa conference.
Reported by: Joseph N. Kerkula
Email: jnkerkula@gmail.com
Contact: +231777376826
