The Ghana High Commission UK and Ireland will be holding the second edition of its biannual event, the Ghana Youth Day. The focus of Ghana Youth Day is to encourage young people to achieve their goals without resorting to gun and knife crime which continues to affect the black community.
After the death of another teenager from the Ghanaian community, the Ghana High Commission supported by Tullow Oil – the event’s main sponsor – recognises the importance of such an event geared towards the future of tomorrow – the youth.
The day will showcase the talented and successful from the Ghanaian / black community who have been characterised as ‘Achievers’. This is to emphasise the message that with dedication and hard work, young people are able to be the person they aspire to be like the achievers in attendance. The event theme ‘Our Youth; Our future’, has continued on from its predecessor as it is understood that there is still more to be achieved for the benefit of young people and the wider community.  We anticipate that the high calibre of achievers involved will continue the vision that success is possible for all without the need for resorting to a weapon.

Ghana Youth Day will be held at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham. This is significant to the day as Tottenham is one of the areas notably affected by gun and knife crime, has a large Ghanaian community and also the starting point of last summer’s riots. We feel that Ghana Youth Day is playing its part in rebuilding the community.
The event will see young people being given the opportunity to discuss issues with their peers, participating in talks hosted by various speakers and Q&A session with the Achievers. Notable patrons to the event will include the award winning actor, Hugh Quarshie, ITV newsreader, Charlene White and the Ghana Youth Day patron, premiership footballer Emmanuel Frimpong. Other notable attendees are yet to be confirmed.
Ghana Youth Day is supported by Google who will be leading the TKC-Employability Skills Session and will also carry out a CV drop in session.  The event is also supported by various organisations from the Ghanaian community including: Ghana Union, Noble Friends, The Knowledge Channel,  Akwaaba UK, Ghanaian Londoners, Afro Pulp and MeFiri Ghana.
The Ghana High Commission UK is taking an active role to prevent any further losses of young life and hopes that it can depend upon various areas of the community particularly the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) community as a whole to assist in its cause to do so. Ghana Youth Day is aimed at young people between the ages of 11 and 25 however, encourages support from all generations as the issues affect us all.
Kobby Mensah-Kumah, chairman of the Ghana Youth Day Organising Committee says: “The Ghana Youth Day is in its second term and we aim to make this year more successful, building on the strength of the previous event. Yet again, we are mourning the sad losses of a young life to violence. We are hoping the Ghana Youth Day and its partners can help to make a difference in the lives young people by showing them a different path – one that is fruitful without the use of destructive tools but rather enriching them with tools for success”.
Further information on the event can be obtained from the Ghana Youth Day website at www.ghanayouths.org or via twitter (@Ghanayouth) and facebook.