Another great moment in the life of the youths of this country is in progress. The Gambia being a youthful population makes it very much dependent on the youth folk as the future technocrats and administrators of this nation.

The NAYCONF is an event in progress in Bansang which provides the opportunity for youths to come together and discuss issues affecting their lives and put forward tangible resolutions that can provide technical solutions which is part of government's relentless efforts for youth empowerment and development.

For the participants, it is important to note that NAYCONF provides a rare platform for positive dialogue as it takes pretty long time before the youths of this country to have an arena of such nature to discuss youth matters.

We therefore hope that those who are privileged to attend the occasion do not transform it to mere fan-fare; rather they should take ownership of the occasion, explore ideas and make strategic decisions for their future.

NAYCONF also provides the youth with an opportunity to expose their talents on diverse issues, ranging from sports, arts, academics, etc. This further explains why the program is more than just a festival but also serves to expose skills and talents of the youths of this county. It also helps government in its efforts to empower young people to contribute towards national development.

There is therefore no doubt that organising this biannual youth conference and festival together with other youth programs in the country elucidates the fact that government is sparing no efforts to empower the youths in its drive for development.

As the program advances, we wish the youths, a successful festival and conference.