Youth Pioneers Conference at 11th African Renaissance Festival

19 May 2009

The 2009 Youth Pioneers Conference, a regular feature of the African Renaissance Festival will take place at the ICC in Durban, South Africa on Tuesday, 26 May 2009 from 9am - 4pm. The conference focuses on issues relevant to young people in Africa.

The 11th annual African Renaissance Festival, which coincides with Africa Day is a gathering of delegates from around the globe coming together to share ideas and celebrate, debate and examine issues related to rebuilding and re-defining the African continent through accessing and developing its social, economic and political resources.

The theme adopted for this year's African Renaissance Festival is "Uniting the African World" and the Youth Pioneers Conference plans to address the role of the youth in promoting and realising the regeneration of the African continent - a vision based on the economic recovery of the African continent as a whole.

Co-ordinated by the KZN Youth Commission in association with the eTthekwini Municipality, this year's Youth Pioneers Conference plans to focus on youth economic empowerment against the backdrop of a global recession, and youth activism and participation in governance. Key speakers at the conference will include Udengs Eradiri (Nigeria) Dr. Felix Tuodolo (Nigeria), Clive Manci(SA) and Pru Mbatho (SA).

Secretary general, worldwide, of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Udengs Eradiri is also the managing director of an engineering and contracting outfit. Currently a lecturer at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, Dr. Felix Tuodolo is the founding President of the Ijaw Youths Council, and chairman of the Ijaw Youths Council Committee on Amnesty for Militants. Durban Chamber of Commerce President, Clive Manci, is also the co-founding Director of K2S, a programme and contract management consultancy. One of the youngest females in the mining industry, Pru Mbatho is the corporate officer of Anglo Gold Ashanti.

There are 100 seats available to the public to attend the African Renaissance Youth Pioneers Conference, at no charge. Interested parties need to contact the chief co-ordinator, Dadda Mngomezulu, at the KZN Youth Commission on (033) 264 6800. Seats are allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.

For more information about the full African Renaissance programme, contact or telephone 031-266 9792.