Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, has called on youth across the world to translate their moral outrage over social injustices into tangible leadership, political engagement, and institution-building.
Speaking in Geneva at the AFS Youth Assembly during an opening plenary session titled “Rise. Reimagine. Rebuild: A World for All,” alongside a specialized fireside chat on civic participation, Minister Bah urged the next generation to move past mere critique and actively claim seats at the decision-making table.
Drawing from his personal trajectory—which began as a 15-year-old advocate establishing Sierra Leone’s Children’s Forum Network to ensure youth inclusion in post-war truth and reconciliation processes—Minister Bah emphasized that anger alone cannot sustain meaningful societal transformation. He pointed to his past work during Sierra Leone’s Ebola outbreak, his advocacy for girls’ education alongside global initiatives, and his co-founding of the feminist organization Purposeful as evidence that outrage must be paired with strategic organizing and coalition-building.
Addressing a fireside discussion moderated by Wantoe T. Wantoe, Executive Director of African Policy and AFS Intercultural Programs, Minister Bah reflected on his transition from grassroots activist to Cabinet minister. He argued that public governance is far too critical to be left solely to traditional politicians, encouraging young changemakers to step inside formal state institutions to reshape public policy from within. Highlighting Sierra Leone’s current administration under President Julius Maada Bio—which features ten cabinet ministers under the age of 40—he demonstrated how youth leadership can fundamentally shift national governance.
Minister Bah also shared insights on managing public communications and combating misinformation in his current cabinet role. He explained that his ministry has prioritized proactive, transparent outreach by utilizing local languages like Krio to rebuild public trust and make government information universally accessible. Concluding his address in Geneva, Minister Bah challenged the assembled young leaders to stay connected to their foundational values when attaining power, urging them to build inclusive, resilient institutions that leave no one behind.
ABJ/APA