Commemorated on August 12 annually, is the International Youth Day. A Global event that is aimed at bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society while drawing attention to a given set of culture and legal issues surrounding youth.

Coaches United Nation Simulation (CUNS) joined the rest of the world in celebrating this event under the theme, “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for all Ages”. This theme was designed to amplify the message that action is needed across all generations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leave no one behind. And to also raise awareness on certain barriers to intergenerational solidarity, notably ageism, which impacts young and old persons, while having detrimental effects on society as a whole.

This theme, as highlighted by the UN Secretary General in his speech “strives to strengthen the message that solidarity across generations is key for sustainable development”.

As such, Coaches United Nations Simulation (CUNS) graced this occasion with a Conference where youths of various age groups from various professions, served as Panelists to not only represent the different age groups we have in our society, but to also display the beauty in the diversity of having our Youths venture into different professions based on their passion and believe to be able to impact and make a change in their nation and world at large. 

Among the youths’ serving as panelists were students from the Upper & Senior Secondary School, Students from the College and University and the TVET youths, who were into skills such as Tailoring, Farming (Agriculture & Animal Husbandry), Carpentry, Hairdressing, etc.

The Panel discussions were anchored by Mentees of the Foundation, Coaches of Influence Foundation (COIF) with interesting entertainments such as Poetry, Drama and dances by our School Mentees from various Schools, in between the three Panel sessions.

The audience, composed of Youths and adults from various spheres of life, were inspired at the end of the Panel discussions. This was highly expressed by a Mother of two who affirmed her amazement at how the panelists from the Upper Basic School spoke so well that she would encourage her children to take part in such activities and Organizations. Thus, the ageism that would have described students of this age and level too young to discuss matters, was seemingly addressed and everyone saw the need to involve the entire society, cutting across all age groups because their voice and opinions matter and yes, they too have something to bring to the table of ideas and solutions.

The Event ended with a Vote of thanks from the Founder of the Organization, Dr. Margaret Ellis, who expressed her immense gratitude to all the leaders & Mentees for a successful event and the audience for joining us to celebrate this memorable event.