The International Republic Institute’s Generation Democracy Network in partnership with Centre for Governance and Leadership (CEGOL) organised a Democracy in Action Lab aiming at young people sharing expertise in building resilient democratic institutions and defending civic space.
The Lab saw 31 participants from four countries in Africa namely; Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Botswana gathering Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe together with five Generation Democracy members from five countries across the world which are Colombia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
Speaking during the official opening of the Lab, Solomon Mlinda who represented the National Youth Council of Malawi said the government and the council values the role played by young people in development process and defending civic space.
“Inclusion of young people in the Malawi National Youth Policy demonstrates value and commitment of seeing that young people are able to provide leadership and participate in a number of issues including in upholding democracy and defending civic space,” he said.
International Republican Institute (IRI) Senior Youth and Inclusion Specialist, Meryl Miner, in her remarks stated that through the Action Lab, participants had the opportunity to engage with international leaders and got ideas and skills that will help them in upholding democracies in their respective countries.
“Participants have also been provided with the opportunity to contribute their innovative ideas around youth civic and political engagement to a publication that will be distributed alongside IRI’s involvement in the Eleventh Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy,” said Miner.
Executive Director for CEGOL, Chimwemwe Kaonga commended IRI for bringing the Lab to Malawi saying it is a recognition of the efforts that young people in Malawi are investing towards building democratic resilience and defending civic space.
“…let me thank IRI and all participants, people should remember that this event is a pathway in empowering young people to participate and lead which is very essential to the democratic health of all societies,” said Kaonga.
IRI’s Generation Democracy is a youth network consisting of over 260 young leaders from 74 countries who have access to subaward funding, opportunities to serve as elected officials on the group’s board, and ways to participate in global panels to share their expertise.
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