What kind of Africa do we want? Now and in the future? It really is up to us as youth to shape it. The Africa we want is one where all countries individually and collectively create a continent where youth are in in the driver’s seat of the African Renaissance. So what is the African Renaissance in practical terms? It is where youth lead to:

• overcome the current challenges confronting the continent
• determine our own future, by breaking the dependency syndrome of colonial legacy
• renew our identity as positive and full of pride
• rise up and be counted and valued and respected by each other and globally
• safeguard and uphold the rights of all its peoples
• rejuvenate cultural ideals and practices
• value and integrate indigenous knowledge into current thinking and methodologies
• spearhead technological initiatives
• stimulate scientific advances
• reclaim our resources for our own benefit
• achieve economic freedom
• develop African solutions

So how do we get to this Africa we want?

It is an exciting journey indeed that lies ahead of us, starting now. It’s about developing ourselves, skilling ourselves, taking creative risks coupled with planning and analytic thought. But most of all it is about action for change.

So let us look at each aspect:

Developing ourselves involves our self-awareness and creating a transformed identity where we are proudly African. And where we believe: in ourselves, in change, in our countries and Africa, and that we can bring about the change. This happens when youth orientate and train each other in safe and innovative spaces.

Next skilling involves various aspects from sourcing knowledge, and knowing what is important to know, and then being part of training that empowers us as leaders.

The future is uncertain – this we know. We also know that technology will lead the way and our real life identity will be fused with our online identity. So this means we must be alert, aware and embracing of change – in fact, we need to forecast change, ourselves as youth.