-As BFF ends YBB Leadership Training Camp
A cross section of Liberian youths have completed a four-day capacity-building and leadership training as campus/community-based peer mediators and catalysts to promoting peace, development and democracy in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville.
The Better Future Foundation (BFF), proponent of Liberia Democracy Sustainability Platform (DSP) and its umbrella organization, Youth Beyond Barriers (YBB) also conducted the training camp that covered human rights and respect for the rule of law.
It was held at the YBB Youth Enhancement Center for Peace, Democracy and Development on Peace Island.
According to a press release from the BBF the training camp was attended by various youth groups representing deprived and underprivileged communities as well as colleges and universities. And it was facilitated by an array of civil society leaders, peace and human rights advocates, and academics among other professionals.
The youths and students came from various communities including West Point, New Kru Town, Doe Community, Barnersville and students from Cuttington University College (CUC), African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), United Methodist University (UMU), African Methodist Episcopal Zion University (AMEZU) and they demonstrated passion and dedication.
At the forum, both facilitators and participants exchanged views on a wide-range of thematic and cutting-edge issues affecting Liberian youth and students.
At the closing ceremony of the camp on Sunday, November 19, 2017, Mr. Marcel C. Akpovo, Chief Human Rights & Protection Service, UNMIL and Representative of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights in Liberia encouraged Liberian youth and students to know their rights and responsibilities and to adhere to the rule of law at all time.
Akpovo, an accomplished international lawyer and practitioner in postwar reconstruction, also cautioned the youths to speak out on violation of the rights of others in the society and to recognize, protect and promote human rights and fundamental liberties.
The UN Human Rights Expert added that the future of the Liberian nation would not benefit its youth and students when the country is built on injustice, discrimination, favoritism, and other vices with potential to retard national progress and undermine its peace and stability.
The UNMIL official further encouraged the participants to subscribe to service for the good of others at all strata of the Liberian society and beyond; and to get involved in acts and programs that promote accountability, transparency, probity, social justice, human dignity, peace, democracy and development.
Akpovo indicated that Liberia now has the perfect opportunity to massively invest in its youthful population as the country sails from a post-conflict state to a democratically entrenched nation.
He also said that young people in Liberia are more focused in developing their skills and contributing to the nation’s growth and development as evidenced by the youth camp improvising initiative of BFF and its subsidiary youth leadership and development network, YBB.
At the same time, the UN Human Rights Official applauded the youths for taking part in the training camp.
For his part, BFF President and Founder, Augustine Arkoi, asserted that the engagement of Liberian youths and students at this crucial era of the nation’s electoral process remains cardinal to national stakeholders aimed at not only keeping the youth busy, but to sway them from acts of violence and lawlessness.
Meanwhile, in separate remarks, Representatives of the YBB youth beneficiaries including Patricia Jacobs, Amos Constance, and Geraldine Flomo of AMEU, West Point and CUC respectively lauded BFF for building their capacities and pledged to serve Topics treated at the camp included the following: “Developing Effective Listening & Communication Skills; Education, Elections, Human Rights and Environmental Protection; Moral & Ethical Life Skills; Peer Mediation; Youth and Human Rights, Proposal Writing & Community Development, Budgeting and Reporting, among others.
Facilitators of the camp included Mr. Kojo Ross, Deputy Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC); Dr. Marcel C. Akpovo, Chief Human Rights and Protection of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL); Augustine Arkoi, Founder and President of the Better Future Foundation (BFF); Jee-Won M. Arkoi, Youth Activist and Alumni of the Pan African Young Leadership Program of the U. S. State Department, among others, according to the BBF.