By Lamarana S. Jallow
The National Organising Committee (NOC) for the 15th edition of the National Youth Conference and Festival (NAYCONF) held its first meeting on Friday, August 24th, 2024, at the National Youth Council office in Kanifing.
The meeting, presided over by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Bakary Y. Badjie, marked the formal preparations for the upcoming biennial event.
In his welcome statement, Minister Badjie emphasised the importance of NAYCONF as a platform for over 2,000 young people from across The Gambia and beyond to engage, share experiences, and address pressing issues that impact the lives and well-being of young people of The Gambia, while promoting sports and culture.
He reiterated that the event also serves as an opportunity to review and assess the effectiveness of youth policies, programmes, and activities aimed at empowering young people for national development.
Minister Badjie called on all NOC members, particularly those from the Secretariat to be active participants in the planning and execution of NAYCONF 2024, underscoring the binding nature of decisions made at the NOC level.
The meeting proceeded with introductions and a presentation on the programme schedule for December, in the Kanifing Municipality.
The minister expressed his expectations that the meeting would set the pace for the months ahead, ensuring that all preparations are on track for a successful and impactful NAYCONF.
The meeting featured presentation from the Executive Director of NYC, highlighting the roadmap and activities from this month to December, when the highly anticipated activity will be hosted by the Kanifing Municipality.
