Young People in the Media (YPM), in partnership with UNICEF and Childfund The Gambia, on Sunday celebrated the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB).
Held at the Marina International School grounds in Fajara, this year’s celebration brought together children, parents, teachers and young people on the theme: “Children of Today Power of Tomorrow”.
Speaking at the event, Eric Ketter, president of YPM, said the aim of the celebration is to bring young people together to share ideas with one another.
The day, he noted, was also set aside for young people to debate on issues affecting them, to come up with solutions.
He added that the theme of this year’s celebration is very timely, “because if you are a child today and people look at you as the power of tomorrow, it is up to you to live up to the challenge and strive hard to make sure that you become the power of tomorrow”.
He said as a child you cannot become the power of tomorrow without being serious with your school work.
He added that discipline is also very important in everyone’s life, particularly as a child, adding that without discipline even if you have the best grades, this is nothing admirable.
He urged them to work hard, be determined and strive hard today so they could be the power of tomorrow.
Hon. Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, in her remarks on the occasion, advised: “If we want a better generation to take care of us we have to nurture the children today.”
There is a need for parents to inculcate “our norms and values in the children”, she added.
Parents have to discipline and train the children based on our religions, she continued, and urged the parents to always monitor their children to know what they are up to.
Mrs Jahumpa Ceesay further advised the children to be mindful of the way they dress, and of peers that will tempt them into doing bad things.
Ya Sainey Gaye from Childfund said helping children is what Childfund does.
“Childfund wants to work with everybody to ensure the betterment of children, because that is what we stand for,” she declared.