The third edition of the International Youth Summer School Camp on peace, to be organised by the National Youth Ambassadors of Peace, will this year take place at Armitage Senior Secondary School (CRR) in July.

This was revealed during a press conference on Thursday organised by the National Youth Ambassadors of Peace, held at their offices in Kanifing. The objectives of the camp are to foster tolerance and the sense of oneness among young people and to equip young people with the necessary skills needed to promote the culture of peace and non-violence.

According to Nfamara Daboe, head of the academic committee, during the camp, illegal migration and youth employment, media, HIV/Aids and culture will be discussed.  "The International Youth Summer School Camp seeks not only to provide participants with the opportunity to acquire the basic knowledge related to peace and virtues such as discipline, civility, compassion, tolerance and respect for others but also to learn to act in a peaceful manner," he said.

"Participants in the camp shall be in two categories, that is national and international. The national participants shall be members of the Youth Ambassadors of Peace, representatives of youth organisations, NGOs, security forces, the media and ECOWAS member states living in The Gambia. The international participants are expected to be drawn from representatives of youth organisations, universities, and peace training institutions the world over," he added.

For his part, Marchel Mendy, executive secretary, National Youth Council, said that The Gambia's National Youth Policy (1992-2008), which is currently under review, defines youths as all young Gambian men and women aged between 13 and 30. According to Mendy, people in this age category experience a variety of influences and transitions that deserve special attention and investment if The Gambia is to attain the objectives of the Vision 2020.

"Youths in The Gambia are specially challenged with early pregnancies, cultural practices, drug abuse and reproductive and health issues such as HIV/Aids," he said. He further said that there is a justifiable need to hold the youth summer camp to build the leadership skills of the youths; to enable them to cope with the above challenges and others.