PHOTO: Eddie Jarwolo, NAYMOTE Executive Director
(November 17, 2020)- The Young Political Leadership School Africa will next week host its seventh cohort in Monrovia, Liberia bringing a diverse group of 100 emerging leaders (51% women and 49% men) from across the ECOWAS region and Cameroon, the Naymote Partners disclosed in Monrovia on Tuesday.
The forum will begin next week Monday to Friday, 23rd – 27th November 2020.
The event is organized under the theme: “Galvanizing Youth Leadership with Character, Integrity, Humility, and Courage for Africa.” Participants are expected to deepen their understanding in electoral management, campaign planning, campaign management, campaign communication, qualities of leadership, democratic accountability, transparency, and resource mobilization etc, a Naymote press release says.
The overarching goal of YPLS Africa is to contribute to the formation of a new generation of character-driven political leaders that would be accountable, responsive, and accessible to the needs and interests of their citizens and help to shape the future of their respective countries in the positive direction. https://www.yplsa.org/.
Former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Swedish Ambassador, Ingrid Wetterqvist, British Ambassador, Neil Bradley, the United States Chargé d’Affaires, Alyson Grunder are all serving as motivational speakers at the opening session. They are expected to challenge, inspire, motivate, and spark new insights for participants to lead in their respective countries while adhering to democratic principles, ideas, and values for improved governance in their respective countries.
The one-week event will be facilitated by Dr. Ibrahima Amadou Niang, Country Representative, the Open Society Initiative of West Africa in Guinea, 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Madam Leymah R. Gbowee, Mr. Hh Zaizay, Executive Director, the President’s Young Professionals Program, Senator G. Alphonso Gaye, Prof. Gerald Jerry Austin of the United States of America, Atty. Oscar Bloh, Chair, the Elections Coordinating Committee, Mr. Juan Martinez and Mr. Joel Kopp, Political Officers of the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia. Mr. Carl Gershman, President, National Endowment for Democracy, Washington DC, United States of America is expected to serve as Guest Speaker at the Closing Ceremony via zoom.
Eddie D. Jarwolo, founder of the Young Political Leadership School Africa which is a flagship program of Naymote Partners for Democratic Development said it is an exciting time for his institution. A time full of hope, full of dreams, full of life and full of love. An opportunity for young people who constitute the majority population of their countries to learn, to lead, to explore and be a change-maker.
He believes this is one the best and innovative ways of grooming middle-level professionals into politics, governance, and helping them become transformational and servant leaders in their generation.
After the one week program, participants will engage in a three months practicum required, they are going to organize community events, engage with political leaders, democratic activists, organize debates on national issues and get involved in community service programs.
The YPLS Africa was established in April 2016 and has built the capacity of 530 young political leaders from across Africa. Alumni are doing amazing work within their respective countries, leading change in their communities and transforming lives, advancing electoral democracy, inclusive governance and holding elected leaders accountable for their actions.
This cohort 7 is supported by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa and the National Endowment for Democracy, we are grateful to these institutions.