The youth of Wa, Ghana, came together in a significant event to commemorate International Youth Day (IYD) 2023 with a dual focus on a cleanup initiative and enlightening speeches. The chosen theme for the IYD 2023 celebration was ‘Green Skills: Towards a Sustainable Future”.

A diverse assembly of young individuals, including students, young professionals, youth organisations, representatives from the Wa Municipal Assembly, the Environmental Protection Agency, Upper West Youth Parliament, and the Regional Scout, gathered at the Wa Ministries.

From there, they proceeded to clean up key areas like the market and Municipal Hospital. Their efforts were not only commendable but also played a crucial role in maintaining safe and livable spaces for the community.

During his keynote address, Maazu Bayuoni, the president and founder of the Coalition for Positive Impact underscored the alignment of the cleanup exercise with the core goals of this year’s International Youth Day.

He explained that this activity served as a tangible example of practices fostering green skills among the youth. Moreover, it contributed to raising awareness about the importance of these skills in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and emphasised the youth’s role in driving the green transition.

Bayuoni emphasised that engaging in practices that support the green transition was not only vital for environmental concerns but also held the potential to address the pressing issue of youth unemployment. He revealed that the successful implementation of green transition measures could create around 8.4 million job opportunities for young people by 2030.

The event saw various youth groups and partners offering messages of solidarity and encouragement. These messages centered on motivating young people to acquire skills that would enable them to actively participate in and benefit from the ongoing green transition.

The event’s coordination was a collaborative effort led by the Coalition for Positive Impact in partnership with CARD-Ghana, Noni Hub, Necessary Aid Alliance, Young Female Influencers, and the Ghana Red Cross Society. The National Youth Authority provided the auspices for this event, highlighting its significance within the larger framework of promoting sustainable development and empowering the youth.