In 2010, after the death of another young Ghanaian, His Excellency. Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo recognised that something needed to happen to try to curb the rising rate of deaths of young Ghanaians. It was proposed that a forum should be organised that looked to discuss issues affecting the young Ghanaian community. The forum has now evolved into what we now know as Ghana Youth Day.
This evolution of Ghana Youth Day has been able to take place after His Excellency chose to reach out to several community groups and individuals – and the Ghana Youth Day committee was born. Due to the support of the various groups and individuals involved in the event planning process, the Committee aided by the Ghana High Commission and the event sponsor, have been able to deliver an event which aims educate, advocate and inspire young people, particularly those from the Ghanaian community.
The Ghana Youth Committee consists of individuals and organisations from the Ghanaian community with an agenda to address the root causes of anti-social behaviour within the youth demographic from the Ghanaian Diaspora who wish to promote professional and personal growth.
The Committee aims to stimulate and facilitate interactions between Ghanaian youth and their peers, role models and leaders of positive youth culture. We refer to these inspirational figures as ‘Ghanaian Achievers’, who are those we consider a ‘success’ in their chosen career path and can instil a positive influence on the Achievers of tomorrow, whether they be Ghanaian celebrities, professionals and/or people of interest. The Committee are also dedicated to finding ways of bridging the generation gap, to enable critical interactions between adult and youth culture.
We define ‘success’ as an individual’s personal or professional accomplishments in which they have used positive methods in order to obtain their success which will lead to having a positive impact on those who surround them far and wide or their community/environment.
From the establishment of these relationships, we hope to develop a way in which Ghana’s Diasporian youth can look forward to intellectual inspiration, academic support, career guidance, companionship, social inclusion and personal empowerment. The primary objective of the Committee is to enrich the development of future generations and to leave a positive and lasting effect.
To that effect we instil in our youth and future Achievers, values that create and reflect a truly successful lifestyle whilst we endeavour to be embodiments of this ethos. We will achieve this through various means including a series of seminars, youth forums, workshops and focus groups. The Committee will continue to work in conjunction with different organisations and institutions as we are committed to……. Our youth. Our future.