Africa SDGs Summit: 1,250 Delegates, 5 Days Experience, One Baba SDGs
Baba SDGs: 1,250 delegates, 5 Days Experience, My Story!
With high hopes I left Nigeria for Ghana for the 2nd Africa youth SDGs Summit. My first contact with Ghana was amazing; a nice courteous Chaufer treated us with so much kindness when it seems we were almost stranded. With this first experience I knew my hope for a wonderful stay in Ghana could not be less.
And my experience continued with a pre-conference workshop/ meeting involving about 25 delegates from different organizations and countries to discuss before the Summit which was aimed at restructuring the 2030 Youth Alliance. It was engaging, full of passion, debates; all to set the tone for the Alliance, to depict the commitment of African youths to the Agenda 2030 and 2063.
Then the bell rang, 7th November; the first day of the SDGs Summit. From all angles, the drum at the Kofi Anan Peace Centre was an evidence of a big ceremony. It was full of people who spoke in different accents and global languages. They were all beautiful and looking amazing. We were delegates from different organizations and countries. And so our energies led us into exchanging of pleasantries and we started forming acquaintances and we were more convinced that we would have a lasting three days of cultural integration, intellectual engagement and full Spirited African Summit. And as we continued, we filed in to have our seats, our Morales got higher. We had speeches from all government and United Nations officials around and these charged us even more. The side events then rolled in and they were educative and engaging and gave room for opinions and resolutions and we bonded well and further. It became the source of our cultural integration.
Day two came along, and somehow I became Baba SDGs in the mist of 1,250 delegates to the African Youth Summit. The energy even stronger and higher. We shared our stories from our different perspectives. A side event commenced on youth and decent work space. It was engaging with wonderful contributions coming in from great African youths, and amazing resolution and recommendations. I cannot forget the loud cheer that came from committee room two(2) that made us rush in to feel the energy of African youths seeking change and immediate actions. We heard Daniel Schichilongo from Zambia talking about youths and the need to take over political space, while Shanny from Ghana moderated. These was one of Actionaid's side events. As we were thrilled by this passion, and the event coming to an end; in deep motivation, Wasuma from Ghana led a deep chant "shoguwe!" and slowly the response got deep and deeper and louder. Loud enough to tell the world that there is a deep consciousness among the youths across Africa for a youth take over and active engagement in politics. As we retired to our lodges, the conversation was centred around youth engagement in politics and it was obvious youths across Africa were thirsty for immediate change and action in all African countries.
Was it the last day of the summit? Of course it was, the African customs colored the entire day, so the plenary commenced, side events too, then, it was the evening show, award presentation, presentation of different cultural dances from all regions of Africa, then the presentation of the Summit’s resolution to General Assembly while the Summit was closed by the 2018 Convener.
Indeed we all left the Kofi Anan International Peace Conference Center, but the memories the contacts, the love, still are fresh. However the memories would be sweet, one cannot forget to mention the long hours spent to get meals on queue but indeed it gave us a deeper sense of equality and connections.
Lastly that the memories would not be complete if one would fail to tell the stories and moments shared with Mr. Koba, Geraldine, Madam Dorcas, Shanny, Daniel Oledia, Wilard, Joseph, Joel, Josephine Adokwu (Mama SDGs) and the Biggest of all brothers Luckmore Jalashi.
It was indeed 5 days of fun, with 1250 delegates for one Africa, for the SDGs, for Agenda 2063.
Its me Abakpa Jonathan (Baba SDGs), proudly acting for the SDGs.
With high hopes I left Nigeria for Ghana for the 2nd Africa youth SDGs Summit. My first contact with Ghana was amazing; a nice courteous Chaufer treated us with so much kindness when it seems we were almost stranded. With this first experience I knew my hope for a wonderful stay in Ghana could not be less.
And my experience continued with a pre-conference workshop/ meeting involving about 25 delegates from different organizations and countries to discuss before the Summit which was aimed at restructuring the 2030 Youth Alliance. It was engaging, full of passion, debates; all to set the tone for the Alliance, to depict the commitment of African youths to the Agenda 2030 and 2063.
Then the bell rang, 7th November; the first day of the SDGs Summit. From all angles, the drum at the Kofi Anan Peace Centre was an evidence of a big ceremony. It was full of people who spoke in different accents and global languages. They were all beautiful and looking amazing. We were delegates from different organizations and countries. And so our energies led us into exchanging of pleasantries and we started forming acquaintances and we were more convinced that we would have a lasting three days of cultural integration, intellectual engagement and full Spirited African Summit. And as we continued, we filed in to have our seats, our Morales got higher. We had speeches from all government and United Nations officials around and these charged us even more. The side events then rolled in and they were educative and engaging and gave room for opinions and resolutions and we bonded well and further. It became the source of our cultural integration.
Day two came along, and somehow I became Baba SDGs in the mist of 1,250 delegates to the African Youth Summit. The energy even stronger and higher. We shared our stories from our different perspectives. A side event commenced on youth and decent work space. It was engaging with wonderful contributions coming in from great African youths, and amazing resolution and recommendations. I cannot forget the loud cheer that came from committee room two(2) that made us rush in to feel the energy of African youths seeking change and immediate actions. We heard Daniel Schichilongo from Zambia talking about youths and the need to take over political space, while Shanny from Ghana moderated. These was one of Actionaid's side events. As we were thrilled by this passion, and the event coming to an end; in deep motivation, Wasuma from Ghana led a deep chant "shoguwe!" and slowly the response got deep and deeper and louder. Loud enough to tell the world that there is a deep consciousness among the youths across Africa for a youth take over and active engagement in politics. As we retired to our lodges, the conversation was centred around youth engagement in politics and it was obvious youths across Africa were thirsty for immediate change and action in all African countries.
Was it the last day of the summit? Of course it was, the African customs colored the entire day, so the plenary commenced, side events too, then, it was the evening show, award presentation, presentation of different cultural dances from all regions of Africa, then the presentation of the Summit’s resolution to General Assembly while the Summit was closed by the 2018 Convener.
Indeed we all left the Kofi Anan International Peace Conference Center, but the memories the contacts, the love, still are fresh. However the memories would be sweet, one cannot forget to mention the long hours spent to get meals on queue but indeed it gave us a deeper sense of equality and connections.
Lastly that the memories would not be complete if one would fail to tell the stories and moments shared with Mr. Koba, Geraldine, Madam Dorcas, Shanny, Daniel Oledia, Wilard, Joseph, Joel, Josephine Adokwu (Mama SDGs) and the Biggest of all brothers Luckmore Jalashi.
It was indeed 5 days of fun, with 1250 delegates for one Africa, for the SDGs, for Agenda 2063.
Its me Abakpa Jonathan (Baba SDGs), proudly acting for the SDGs.
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