NEW YORK – Sierra Leone took centre stage at the 30th AFS Youth Assembly in New York, leading an international dialogue on “Reclaiming Historical Narratives and Fostering Mindsets.” The high-level side event, hosted by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE), brought together 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 session became a platform for challenging colonial distortions, amplifying youth voices, and forging cross-continental alliances.
In his keynote address, Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, called for a bold re-examination of Sierra Leone’s history, dismantling long-standing colonial myths — from the so-called “discovery” of Sierra Leone to misrepresentations of the Hut Tax War. He linked the effort to President Julius Maada Bio’s national civic debate initiative aimed at building pride in authentic identity.
“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,” Minister Bah said.
The event also featured presentations from MoICE Head of Partnerships and Delivery, Timothy Sam, on Sierra Leone’s Six Pillars Civic Education Strategy; Seth Cohen, Co-Founder of Optimistic Labs, on linking youth leadership to global opportunities; and Dr. Judy Kuriansky, UN Mental Health Advocate, who led an interactive session on the Five Dimensions of Leadership.
A major highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between AFS Programs and MoICE, committing to joint initiatives in youth leadership training, cross-cultural exchange, scholarships such as the AFS Global STEM Accelerators, civic education resource mobilisation, and collaborative research.
The side event was supported by the Centre for Community Impact and Social Justice (CCISJ), UNFPA, and GOAL. It forms part of Sierra Leone’s “Cotton Tree” Civic Strategy, designed to empower a new generation to rewrite the nation’s story with truth, resilience, and pride.
From confronting historical distortions to building global partnerships, Sierra Leone’s presence at the Youth Assembly underscored a central message: reclaiming history is a cornerstone of building an inclusive and forward-looking democracy.
By Dolly Koroma
