The opening ceremony of this completion opened on September 30, 2022 in the presence of the Minister of Youth and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, as part of the activities of Mandela Washington Fellows who are involved in promoting the values of citizenship.
"Silencing Hate speech countering Youth violence and youth radicalization in Cameroon", is the theme chosen to lead this competition which in the end will determine the national ambassadors of peace.
After the holding of the regional symposium which aimed to identify peace ambassadors at the regional level, 10 young Cameroonians stood out by communicating messages that encourage their peers to be relays of peace.
It must be said that they were appointed ambassadors of Pronec-Reprimer by Minister Mounouna Foutsou. They take turns presenting their projects to a jury, in the presence of leaders of associations and youth movements from all over Cameroon. It is therefore upon leaving and after selection by this jury that Miss Yali and Master Yali will be known as national ambassadors of peace.
The president of the Mandela Washington Fellows association, Clifford Akonteh was moved by the scale of the event, which for him is one more stone for building peace.
To him, the symposium is being held in a social context where “social networks have become more than ever a vector of hate speech and violence”, which rather fueled conflicts in Cameroon especially in the English-speaking part of Cameroon and against the Islamic sect Boko Haram.
It is therefore an opportunity to discover new ways to fight against this scourge and involve young people in it. So as not to forget the consequences of hatred and violence.
However, according to the Minister of Youth and Civic Education (Minjec), Mounouna Foutsou, this symposium is proof of cordial ties between Cameroon and the United States in the construction of peace.
And that it was also a commitment for actions in order to reduce conflict throughout Cameroon, within Youths, fight hate speech, radicalization and violence.
"The theme of this symposium is therefore ideally chosen for Cameroon, at a time when it is facing threats to peace, in the northern regions, the South-West and the North-West", articulated Mounouna Foutsou.
Ethan Tabor, head of public affairs for the American institution and also representative of the United States Ambassador to Cameroon, welcomed the results that the Mandela Washington Fellows programs have had on youth, at a time when more than 2 million young people have been affected by these actions to promote peace.
The young people who went through peace building programs in diffe6 capacities are vectors of “dynamism and respect for human rights and peace” in their communities.
Impressed by the optimism and passion of young Cameroonians, by their determination to boost development, especially those who participated in regional challenges.
“Each Youth has its own challenges, where I come from, in Canada, Youth has its challenges. But I want to recognize that I was really impressed by the dynamism and creativity of young people in Cameroon,” said Richard Bale.
After congratulating all the young people present, he told them “it is in your hands that the possibility of continuing with this tradition of development lies”.