Ghana Hosts West Africa’s Youth With Call for Peace, Shared Dignity and Responsible Digital Citizenship

At maiden West Africa Youth Days in Accra, Ghanaian leaders and the Catholic Church challenge young people to be bridge-builders across cultures and online spaces

ACCRA, Ghana — Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to regional peace and unity as thousands of young Catholics from across 16 West African nations gather in Accra for the first-ever West Africa Youth Days (WAYD) 2026.

Under the theme “Take Courage: Young Catholics, Agents and Promoters of Peace and Hope in West Africa,” the September 7-11 gathering, organised under the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA) and hosted by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, has brought together nearly 4,000 youth delegates, bishops, religious leaders and government officials.

Addressing the gathering, Ghana’s message to the youth centered on openness, shared humanity and the future of the sub-region.

West Africans, the address noted, are people who are interested in other people’s societies and can recognize a common interest even when they disagree.

“Your faith offers an important foundation for that work. The dignity we claim for ourselves cannot be denied to someone because of nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, political opinion, or social standing,” the message said.

The address highlighted the double-edged nature of technology for West Africa’s youth, who make up more than 60% of the region’s population.

“This has become even more important in the digital age. Young people now inhabit spaces where information where anger, prejudice, and falsehood  can cross borders in seconds.

But the same technology can also connect communities, spread knowledge, and create opportunities that previous generations could hardly have imagined.

“How we use these tools in becoming part of how we build peaceful societies is what matters.”

The call echoes Pope Leo XIV’s video message to the gathering earlier this week, in which the Pontiff urged young West Africans to be “builders of bridges between peoples, cultures and religions” and to ensure that “no one is marginalized, isolated, excluded, or rejected.”

In a direct appeal to delegates drawn from Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and other RECOWA member states, the youth were reminded of their central role in shaping West Africa’s future.

“My dear young people, are you still here? You will certainly play a very important role in all of this. Never forget the difference you can make,” the address continued.

The responsibilities outlined included:

– The friendships you form

– The seriousness with which you learn

– The enterprises you build

– The professions you enter

– The information you choose to share

– The way you handle disagreements

– The willingness to work with people beyond your own circles

“All contribute in different ways to the kind of region we will become. Those in government have their responsibilities. The church has its responsibilities. Civil society, families, and communities have theirs as well. And young people have a voice and a contribution of their own.”

The week-long program includes catechesis in English and French, workshops on digital evangelization, cultural nights, vocational drives with over 30 religious congregations, and parish immersion visits to some 40 parishes in the Accra Archdiocese.

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has described the hosting as both a privilege and a responsibility, appealing to the faithful to extend Ghana’s renowned hospitality.

Closing the address, the message called on participants to carry home more than memories:

“I hope that when you go home, you will take with you more than the memory of a very successful gathering. Take away new friendships, a better understanding of other people and cultures, and a stronger sense that the future of West Africa is something we all share.

“Ghana is pleased to welcome you. And we are pleased to join the church and our neighbors across the region in the ongoing work of building a peaceful and prosperous West Africa.

“May God bless our beloved country, Ghana. May God bless the Catholic Church. May God bless all of us.”

Credit:Immaculate Affoakwa Emilia