WAYN to Initiate Region Youth Project

19 July 2011

The West African Youth Network Liberia Office has disclosed that it plans to initiate a regional youth project in Liberia aimed at promoting peaceful and non-violent elections in Liberia. According to Mr. Arthur R.M. Becker, Programme Director of WAYN Liberia, the initiative is under the banner of the “West African Youth Initiative for Peaceful Elections in Liberia-2011”. The project in a further development, seeks to bring together 45 youth leaders from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast to train them in elections processes, procedures, and methodologies. The project is also geared towards providing training for regional youth leaders in the areas of Peace Building and non-violent approaches to elections.

Mr. Becker furthers, that this project will run from September 26- October 3, 2011 in Liberia in partnership with FLY and the MRU Youth Parliament regional office. It is expected at the end of the training seminar for regional youth leaders, there will be a launch of the West African Youth Peace and Democracy Network, as well as a regional Action for peaceful and non-violent elections in Liberia. The project is also expected to be climaxed by series of consultative meetings with regional youth leaders and the National Elections Commission of Liberia, Civil Society, women and youth groups, the media, policy makers, political party representatives, and the diplomatic corps. The project is a follow up to a regional youth intervention by 25 youth leaders from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast in September 2010 to promote peaceful elections and a smooth democratic transition in Conakry, Guinea.

In a related development, Mr. Arthur R.M. Becker, hopes that the project which has been submitted to donors will be supported to enhance the implementation of the project. He also looks forward to support from International Organizations and philanthropists in affording WAYN execute this worthwhile regional project.

Finally, Mr. Arthur R.M. Becker believes that this project will be a unique intervention by young people in the sub-region, to use their energies profitably to build a culture of peace and decent democratic space in Liberia and the sub-region, as well as increase their participation into the mainstream of peace building and the promotion of democracy and governance.

AllAfrica – All the Time