The speaker of the National Youth Parliament, Hon Lamin F Bojang, has described his recently concluded trip to the United States of America for the 5th Annual United Nations Youth Assembly, as a success.

The event which took place from 12th to 14th August, 2008, in New York, brought together about 600 youth delegates from across the world, about 30 of them from Africa. Mr Bojang made this statement following his return, recently, after a month-long stay in the US. The Youth Assembly, he said, focused on young people as “Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today”.

This, he pointed out, placed more emphasis on the involvement of young people in issues of the United Nations. He stressed that the youth needed a voice; a voice that would enable them to participate in the socio-economic development of their countries. He said: “since this generation of youth is the most educated and highest in terms of population in human history, it’s a gross discrimination to leave them aside.”

The Youth speaker indicated that the conference strongly recommended that states should provide more space for young people to be part of development since none of the Millennium Development Goals can be achieved without their involvement and participation. This includes ensuring that young people form part of their government’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly.

He noted that as part of his mission, he had the opportunity to conduct meetings with various organizations in New York, Washington, Maryland and Virginia. “I know that my participation at the assembly and consultative meetings has indeed ignited more interest in international organization like the International Youth Council, Side by Side, African Visions,  International Youth Federation for World Peace, Service for Peace and Global Youth Coalition on HIV/Aids, to further extend their programs to The Gambia,” he stated, and went on to say that “I strongly believe that within the period of a year, young people will begin to reap the benefits of my mission to the United States”.

And on the award, he said: “I am grateful to the Energy Boys and Girls of the Federation of World Peace and Love for the Award.

The Peace and Love Award was offered to Mr Bojang, as the only African delegate to the United Nations Youth Assembly, and a dozen others from around the world, in recognition of their service in advancing the course of the young people.

Mr Bojang told the Daily Observer that his award came  with a congratulatory message for him and other young people of Africa for standing for African Youths in the Area of Adolescent Youth and Reproductive Health in Africa, by Dr Dairo of the UNFPA Africa Division, during his presentation at the assembly.

Dr Dairo hailed the Gambian young people for being models in Africa in terms of youth participation.

The Gambian delegate said that he was appreciative of the offer, and “I only regard it as a challenge to do more than to be complacent with what had been achieved. But, I do not regard it as a personal achievement. It was possible because I belong to a setup of committed young people who are only interested in making things happen. I therefore take it to be a product of collective service for the promotion of the positive development of young people in The Gambia. I therefore wish to take this opportunity to extend my appreciation to all the great people and institutions who continue to stand by young people in making the difference that young people are creating in the world”.