In a week’s time, Nairobi will play host to the sixth edition of the YouthConnekt Africa Summit (YCS), bringing together over 20,000 young people, government officials, corporate leaders and development champions. YouthConnekt Africa Summit is the official instrument for mobilising young people to take part in the transformation of African youth by implementing the Youth Charter as agreed upon by African states. The five-day conference that will run from December 8 -13 aims to spotlight youth leadership and innovation for Africa’s integration through policy discussions, storytelling and networking.
At the YouthConnekt Africa Summit, we will be celebrating the youth, creatives, and sportsmen and women. This is the story we want you to help us create, curate and tell… from a point of knowledge,”the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Hon Ababu Namwamba explained recently.
The CS was speaking during an interaction between himself, ministry officials including Sports PS Jonathan Mueke, National Youth Council Acting CEO Margaret Kiogora, Digital strategist and Creative Economy Advisor to the President, Dennis Itumbi as well as the YouthConnekt Africa Summit Secretariat and a blend of young content creators, influencers and digital media journalists. Convened at the Talanta Hela Plaza rooftop, the get-together was an opportunity for young creatives and journalists dominating the digital space to push, speak for and about the upcoming Summit, with a view to having them spearhead a borderless African renaissance, while learning how to make a decent living from their creative effort.
While appreciating the knowledge, influence and reach of the team, and the gap that has existed in communicating about the Summit, all the speakers reiterated the need for collaboration to not only push the YCS agenda, but also on similar future projects.
“There has to be a way we’ve got to work together. Despite the gap, there is always a beginning; this is that beginning,”PS Mueke said.
These words were reiterated by Itumbi, detailing the many areas of cooperation and opportunities that the team can take advantage of if they open themselves up for fruitful collaborations. After five successful editions, the Summit is coming to Nairobi at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre for what the CS termed the “biggest and most consequential ever in terms of agenda, theme and resolutions”. Hosted by Heads of State, this Summit engages youth with leaders, policymakers, development champions and various actors on emerging development issues.
“The youth of Africa want to send a message to the leaders of Africa that they cannot wait any more for a borderless Africa; that they want to travel, to create, to innovate and to trade across Africa freely without restrictions,” Ababu asserted
This year’s theme is: Youth Innovating a borderless African Renaissance. Working with seven thematic areas, the Summit seeks to have elevated conversations including Thought Leadership roundtables policy makers, Xchange Lounges to connect with like-minded change makers, Masterclasses, inspiring Spotlight presentations, as well as High level Plenaries.
This year’s Jamhuri Day celebrations, marking 60 years of independence, will also champion the message of “Youth, Creative Economy and Sports”, marking the climax of the Summit. A series of activities have been lined up. These include the launch of the 1 million climate change green army, the green marathon that will see planting of tress at a series of intervals during the marathon, the Hustler’s Bazaar where young entrepreneurs will be able to trade and engage in business activities and the Creatives Showcase where artistes will have a platform to exhibit their works. 
Over 350 companies are set to pitch tent at the venue including blue-chip, multinational and digitech firms seeking partnerships and showcasing opportunities.
Seeking accreditation? Well, here’s the link: https://eventsaccreditation.go.ke/event/24/registrations/21/
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