Ghanaian Youth To Meet At World Bank For International Youth Day

Shot from a Youth SDGs workshop organized by Young Diplomats of Ghana

The Young Diplomats of Ghana (YDG) is set to host the inaugural Ghana Youth Meeting to mark the 2018 International Youth Day in Ghana at the World Bank Group in Accra on the 9^th and 10^th August, 2018. The Ghana Youth Meeting will for the first time create a platform for young people to assemble at the World Bank Group offices in Ghana to deliberate on issues of national concern with the objective of finding a voice for a greater government-youth partnership in the governance and decision making processes in the country.

The theme for the meeting; “Open and Responsive Government; Pathway for Sustainable Development” is premised on a consensus reached by over 200 young people who joined the Young Diplomats of Ghana for a debate and knowledge sharing program on the skills and knowledge of young people to effectively participate in the governance and decision making processes in Ghana to mark the 2017 International Youth Day.

The debate and discussions made it apparent that as the key group of people with the most to lose from governments that do not have the right mechanisms for government and citizens to work together, the need for an open, transparent and responsive government will lay the foundations for a successful government-youth partnership.

The two-day inaugural Ghana Youth Meeting will host a series of activities including a panel discussion, open mics, a debate, workshops and a networking reception to leverage on the experiences and expertise of participants, speakers, and workshop facilitators in an interactive setting to equip the participants with the know-how to join the fight to end poverty and create shared prosperity.

The meeting will also create a unique platform for young people to be empowered as they dialogue, voice their concerns, learn, network, share ideas and also build their leadership skills in advocating for the priorities of young people in governance and decision making. The agreements and consensus reached at the meeting would be presented to government and other state institutions for policy consideration.

The Ghana Youth Meeting has been modeled after major youth international conferences such as the annual World Bank Youth Summit in Washington and Ecosoc Youth Forum at the UN Headquarters in New York and will offer participants a unique experience which would mould their personal and professional development and provide them with the tools and thinking edge to fit into the global order as young leaders.

The meeting is an initiative of Young Diplomats of Ghana(YDG); a non-governmental and non-profit network that seeks to advance the development of a new generation of aspiring leaders and diplomats in Ghana, and to build their advocacy experience. The organization has been at the forefront for youth leadership and empowerment through its unique programming creating a channel for training, research, interactions, networking and the exchange of ideas and knowledge to nurture and groom young aspiring global leaders and diplomats.

The UN International Youth Day marked annually on August 12 is to celebrate the achievements of the world’s youth and to encourage their participation in enhancing society.

The Ghana Youth Meeting is powered by YDG’s mother organization; the International Perspective for Policy & Governance (IPPG) with support from the World Bank Group, UNDP, Softlanding, Liranz IT Services and Galebs Digital.