Addis
Ababa Nov 1st - African Union (AU) Commission Chairman Alpha Oumar
Konaré has called on the African youth to remain steadfast to
the continent's genuine values of solidarity, sacrifice and justice.
In a message to mark the first commemoration of the African Youth Day
on 1 November 2007, Konaré said the youth should be the generation
of excellence that would successfully defend peace and the sustainable
development of Africa.
At their last summit, African leaders proclaimed the first day
of November as the African Youth Day and 2008 as the Year of
the African Youth."
Africa places in you its great hope and we believe that you will achieve
the African Renaissance," Konaré said in the message released
here on the eve of the African Youth Day.
He congratulated the youth for their dynamism, perseverance and spirit
of leadership that led to the day's celebration.
Recalling the November 2006 launch of the African Youth Charter, the
AU's chief executive urged all African Heads of State and Governments,
all parliamentarians
and ministers in charge of youth to sign, ratify, implement and popularise
the Charter as soon as possible. "In
all its aspects, the Charter is an efficient and innovative tool
to promote the youth. It carries values that include excellence,
peace, integrity,
participation, respect for human rights and the environment," Konaré said.
He urged the youth to share the values of the Charter, which focus
on the promotion of education, creativity, solidarity, volunteerism,
good governance,
human rights and innovative science and technology to develop economic
areas that guarantee food security and health.
According
to Konaré, achievements of the African youth demonstrate
that the youth can work actively and that public and private
institutions are not only interested in partnership with the youth,
but were
also concerned with the promotion of the youth."
If we keep this momentum, and as defined by the theme of the Day in 2007,
we will be able to involve the creative, pacifist and volunteer opportunities
of the youth within the process of modernizing and improving governance
and sustainable development of Africa," Konare added.
The
African Youth Day will be commemorated under the theme "Partnership
between the youth and public authorities".