NYU Kimmel Center, New York – 10 August 2025
By Timothy Sam – Head of Partnership and Delivery Team Lead, MoICE.
Sierra Leone’s presence at the 30th AFS Youth Assembly went beyond speeches and formalities. Led by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE), the country hosted a high-level side event under the theme “Reclaiming Historical Narratives and Fostering Mindsets.” The session drew over 50 participants from 15 countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America, including members of the Sierra Leonean diaspora.
Moderated by Cameroonian youth leader Lyzianah Emakoua, CEO of the Centre for Community Impact & Sustainability, the event became a forum for challenging colonial distortions, amplifying youth voices, and forging global alliances.
In his keynote, Minister Chernor Bah called for an urgent re-examination of Sierra Leone’s historical record:
“Many of the stories we have been told about ourselves are incomplete, distorted, or entirely false. These myths were not innocent — they were tools of control, designed to define us through someone else’s lens.”
He dismantled persistent colonial myths — from the so-called “discovery” of Sierra Leone, to the fabricated “lion mountain” story, to the mischaracterisation of the Hut Tax War — and linked this to President Julius Maada Bio’s vision of fostering a national civic debate that questions destructive narratives and builds pride in authentic identity.
Minister Bah underscored that reclaiming history is a nation-building project:
“Civic education is how we reclaim our story, restore dignity, and give young people the tools to see themselves not only as leaders, but as active authors of their nation’s future.”
The discussion also featured:
• Timothy Sam, MoICE Head of Partnerships and Delivery, presenting Sierra Leone’s innovative Six Pillars Civic Education Strategy and case studies from youth-led projects.
• Seth Cohen, Co-Founder of Optimistic Labs, connecting youth leadership to global opportunities.
• Dr. Judy Kuriansky, UN Mental Health Advocate, leading an interactive session on the Five Dimensions of Leadership.
A New Era of Partnership
The event concluded with the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding between AFS Programs and MoICE, formalising cooperation in youth leadership development, cross-cultural exchanges, scholarship access such as the AFS Global STEM Accelerators, joint resource mobilisation for civic education, and co-authored research to inspire youth in Sierra Leone and beyond.
This initiative is part of Sierra Leone’s revamped “Cotton Tree” Civic Strategy, empowering a new generation of young leaders to rewrite the nation’s story — rooted in truth, resilience, and pride — under the leadership of President Bio and his dynamic youth-driven cabinet.
MoICE and Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations extended special thanks to the Centre for Community Impact and Social Justice (CCISJ), UNFPA, and GOAL for their support in delivering this impactful side event.
From confronting myths of the past to building strategic alliances for the future, Sierra Leone’s role at the Youth Assembly reinforced a central truth: reclaiming history and investing in civic education are inseparable pillars of a stronger, more inclusive democracy.
#SierraLeone#AFSYouthAssembly#CivicEngagement#YouthLeadership#GlobalPartnerships
