Information:
The National Youth Conference and Festival (known as
NAYCONF) is a biennial event that brings the nation's
youth together to discuss issues affecting their lives
as well as their role in National Development. It was
originally called The National Youth Week and only consisted
of Sporting and Cultural programmes. Such Youth Week
celebrations were first held in Banjul in 1974/1975,
then in Basse, URD in 1975
With the adoption of the National Youth Policy, the
event became a biennial one and consisted not only on
sporting and Cultural Programmes but Youth Conference
as well.
The Conference affords youths, through their accredited
representations the opportunity to discuss ,matters
of common interest vis-à-vis their role in National
Development. The Youth forum serves as an authoritative
source of information on the problems of Youth as seen
by the Youths themselves.
The Youth Festival on other hand, engenders interaction
amongst Youths inn a true spirit of oneness and love
through the various sporting and cultural Programmes
as well as participate in a community Service Project.
Youth Participants from the zone two countries are also
invited to take part in the Festival.
The Youth Conference and Festival was first held in
Bakau, KSMD in 1990 followed by Janjanbureh' MID 1992
and Mansakonko, LRD 1994.
Programmes:
The week long event will feature a variety of sporting,
cultural and intellectual programmes.
The opening will be marked by a spectacular parade of
all youth delegates from different parts of the country,
punctuated by cultural displays depicting the cultural
forms that are most unique to each Division.
The second day will mark the official opening of the
Youth Conference on the theme" Youth and the Challenges
of the New Millennium". An Art and Craft s exhibition
Portraying the talent of Gambian Youth in the Visual
and plastic Arts across the country will be opened on
the same day.
The rest of the days, will satisfy the sporting, theatrical
and musical thirst of the youths through keen competitions.
The last day marking the closing ceremony of the Conference
and Festival will witness the award prizes and certificates.
The Committee:
A National Committee was inaugurated in November 1998,
by the then acting Secretary of State for Youth and
sports, Captain (Retired) Yankuba Touray and charged
with responsibility to co-ordinate of the week long
event. The work of this Committee is complimented by
that of various sub-committee whose task it is to address
the financial, logistical and organizational implications
of the event. |
