Speaking as one of the guest speakers at the 6th Ordinary Session of the Model Ecowas Summit, High Commissioner Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba of the Sierra Leone High Commission in Accra, Ghana, commended the organizers for what he described as a brilliant initiative that discusses issues around young people.
He said it is important that young people of West Africa build social cohesion in order to strengthen the continent’s future, as social cohesion is not created by speeches alone.
According to H.E. Kaisamba, it is created when people choose understanding over hatred, dialogue over violence, and collaboration over division.
The theme of the summit, “Peace, Stability, and Social Cohesion: Unleashing the Power of Youth to Lead,” he furthered, could not be more timely or more important because presently across the continent, we are living through a period of profound uncertainty, with political tensions rising.
He mentioned that after Sierra Leone endured a devastating civil war that shattered communities, displaced families, and robbed an entire generation of stability and opportunity, Sierra Leone did not rebuild itself through miracles but through people, many of whom were the youth.
These young people refused to allow violence to define their destiny, chose reconciliation over revenge, and used education, community engagement, music, sport, advocacy, and entrepreneurship to rebuild trust where fear once existed
He concluded by urging participants to never underestimate the power of one determined young person and to put into practice what they acquire during the summit upon returning to their respective countries.
Delivering a good will message was Fatu Tarawally Esq, State counsel, Office of the President, who said the summit presented a unique opportunity to learn, engage, and exchange ideas that will positively shape West African countries and the ECOWAS region.
She said the knowledge, experiences, and networks gained from the summit must be carried back to their countries and translated into meaningful actions, while understanding that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but today.
The 6th Ordinary Session of the Model Ecowas Summit, held at the University of Ghana Medical Simulation Centre, brought together young people from several West African countries which includes, including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, among others.
Rt. Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, serves as the special guest of Honour.
Among the participants from Sierra Leone were Benedict Samuel Richard Kwende, Mamad Sallieu Jalloh, Esther Nyallay Lahai, Elliasu Jalloh, and Ashley Thomas.
