First Lady returns home from UNESCO Youth Summit

Accra, July 9, GNA - The First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Ernestina Naadu Mills, has returned home after attending a three-day Youth Infusion Summit in Maryland, USA where she advised the youth to lead the crusade for peace and unity and not be used as agents of violence across continent.

According to the First Lady, who arrived on Sunday, peace is an essential prerequisite that allows businesses to operate, thus creating more jobs for the youth.

She said youth unemployment was deepening the levels of poverty, particularly in developing countries and called for effective measures that would provide jobs for young people worldwide.

The Summit was organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Centre for Peace under the theme: “Empowering Tomorrow's Future.”

Dr. (Mrs.) Naadu Mills said the youth mostly were major target for political parties, especially in election years and advised them against such acts.

Various speakers at the Summit were also full of praise for the President Atta Mills' Government particularly in the area of youth development.

They said other countries could learn from Ghana's social intervention programmes such as the Local Enterprise and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP), the National Youth Authority, distribution of Free Laptops, Youth in Agriculture Programme, Youth in Road Maintenance, among many others tailored to provide jobs for the youth.

The conference brought together First Ladies and young leaders from different cultures to dialogue based upon respect for commonly shared values.

UNESCO believes it is through such dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO's missions and activities.

GNA