The World Youth Movement for Democracy (WYMD) is a network that aims to support the development of sustainable democracy movements by empowering the next generation of democracy activists. The movement provides a space for young activists to build relationships with each other, to collaborate across borders, to deepen their knowledge on key issues, and to develop practical skills. It promotes democratic values and provides for sharing of information and ideas and it is guided by a Leadership Board with representation from Africa, Asia, Europe/Eurasia, the Americas, and the Middle East and North Africa regions under a supervising Advisory Council.
The election that will place new young leaders on the Leadership Board of WYMD begins today 07/02/2014 12:00noon EST and ends on 11/02/2014 by 12:00noon EST on www.wymdonline.org. Seven young Africans, Four Asians, One Latin American, OneEuropean and One Middle Easterner that are interested in taking Democracy in the world to a new horizon will be contesting for positions on the board and the power to decide is in your hands. Who will you be voting for? Click here to find out how.
I am Abidemi Oderinlo a young Nigerian, contesting to represent Africa on the Leadership Board of WYMD.
Youths in Africa have been yearning for an opportunity, a platform, a medium through which they can express their views, air their voices, become a part of the process and bodies that creates the policies and make decision that affects their lives, they want to be involved in building the world they live in, be heard and respected, be saddled with more responsibilities and not sidelined by the system on the grounds of being inexperience, incompetent or too young to be responsible for a lot. This is what WYMD is offering, and this is why I am standing to represent Africa on the board, with the prospect of opening young Africans to youth empowerment opportunities and the best practices of democracy that are applicable and practicable on the African continent, through my direct interaction with young democracy activist and leaders represented on the board.
The challenges facing democracy in African countries are similar, therefore it is important for young African to come together find a common ground to analyze, define, and strategize on how to tackle these challenges, towards a more democratic Africa. Given the opportunity to serve on the WYMD Leadership Board, I intend to use the platform to broker relationship that will strengthen and unify our voices, opening more young Africans to opportunities that will increase exchange of ideas, and proven youth driven democratic practices within and from other countries of the world, that will improve our polity as a continent and build for all a more vibrant and productive society.
Continue reading
