Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
ZIMBABWE will host the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Africa-Middle East conference in May in the resort city of Victoria Falls with more than 500 delegates drawn from different countries in Africa and the Middle East expected to attend.
The conference which will be held in the country for the first time, is expected to capacitate youth to be able to take up leadership roles at workplaces and in their communities.
JCI is a global membership-driven organisation for young people whose membership is drawn from youths between the ages of 18 and 40 years.
The organisation is in about 5 000 communities in 115 countries worldwide with over 200 000 active members and over two million alumni comprising mostly former members that are more than 40 years old.
The organisation encourages young people to become active citizens and to participate in efforts towards social and economic development, international cooperation, goodwill and understanding.
It also provides leadership training and development programmes that empower young people to initiate positive change in their communities. JCI also recognises the achievements of young people through its awards programmes.
The organisation is divided into Africa-Middle East, Europe, Asia-Pacific and America regions. JCI Zimbabwe, an affiliate of JCI International, which is headquartered in the United States, will be hosting the Africa-Middle East conference from 17-20 May on behalf of the country after successfully bidding to host the event with the help of Government.
Executive vice president of JCI Africa-Middle East Mr Achille Sonehekpon is in Victoria Falls to inspect the hotel and conference facilities where the event would be held including assessing the country’s readiness to host the meeting.
He is being accompanied by the director of Africa-Middle East Mr Olatunyi Oyeyemi and advisor of JCI Africa-Middle East Mr Olajide Adeyemi. JC Zimbabwe national president Mr Samuel Takudzwa Nehumba said the organisation takes youths through a leadership journey and allow them to discover their true potential through activities, training and events.
“Members are empowered to be active and be able to hold events like area conferences and world congress. Each region holds its own area conference and our last conference for Africa and the Middle East was in Tunisia last year,” he said.
Mr Nehumba said JC Zimbabwe’s bid to host the Area Conference for Africa and the Middle East was supported by the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
The conference will be held under the theme: “Leadership, Resilience and Sustainability” and seeks to capacitate youths to be resilient and drive sustainable economies especially in times of shocks like during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Nehumba said the conference was open even to non-members and is therefore expected to bring a lot of benefits not only to tourism but also to youths who will be empowered.
More than 500 young people from Africa and the Middle East are expected to attend the conference. -@ncubeleon
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