The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a period of uncertainty millions of young people in Africa, with schools and academic institutions disrupted, businesses forced to close and exacerbating job uncertainty, with unemployment in the rise. It is important to shed more light on youth in Africa in the middle of this pandemic, and the lead role they take as solution providers in different corners of the continent.

From the production of sophisticated inventions, such as ventilators or sensor-enabled sanitizing equipment for front line workers to the development of reliable systems using social media technologies, young people in Africa are demonstrating outstanding skills and innovation capacities in driving solution to the unprecedented struggle of our societies to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This Webinar is proposed as a platform to displaying youth-led innovation to fight against COVID-19 and to explore the enabling environment needed to bolster youth’s innovation and creativity.

Youth inventors/innovators, government officials, representatives from financing institutions, innovation hub, and other development partners, including from the UN system, will share different perspectives as well as opportunities for investing more in the demographic dividend in youth to unleash the full potential during and post COVID-19.

The webinar will be operated through Zoom platform, with simultaneous interpretation in English and French, and targeting youth across Africa, including members of UNESCO networks such as Pan African Youth Network for Culture of Peace, AU Youth Networks, and UNESCO Youth Forum, but also the general youth public. Invitation to register will be posted online before the webinar.

Source: UNESCO