Members of CYNESA Ghana embarking on a beach cleanup
Ghana is set to become the epicentre of youth-led environmental action in West Africa, as the country prepares to host the Third Laudato Si’ Youth Assembly from May 30 to June 1, 2025. The event marks a decade since the release of Pope Francis’ groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’, and it will bring together youth from across the continent to reflect, mobilize, and act for ecological justice.
Speaking on Catholic Trends’ Spotlight Show, Francisca Dommetieru Ziniel, West Africa Regional Coordinator for the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA), revealed that Ghana was chosen to host the event over Rwanda because of its consistent youth-led environmental advocacy.
“The plan was to have it in Rwanda, but one of the reasons we decided to have it in Ghana is that over the years we have seen how hard the Ghanaian youth have worked regarding the fight against illegal mining, clean-up exercises, etc. We think there is now a need to make CYNESA Ghana more or less the headquarters of West Africa—a place we can stand and reach out to the rest of the region,” she said.
The Assembly, themed “A Decade of Laudato Si’: Journeying Together in Hope for Our Common Home,” will coincide with the Jubilee Year of Hope and the 10th anniversary of both Laudato Si’ and the Paris Agreement, milestones in the global climate movement.
Over 100 youth from various faiths are expected to participate in the three-day program in Accra. Highlights include reflective sessions using the See-Judge-Act method, panel discussions on the impact of the Paris Agreement, and an anti-Galamsey march under the banner “Journeying Together in Hope.” The event will culminate in the creation of a Youth of Faith position paper, laying out the next steps for environmental action from a faith-based perspective.
“Ghana has been at the forefront of environmental advocacy,” Francisca added, citing youth-led campaigns against illegal mining and CYNESA’s annual Green Lent campaign as key reasons for Ghana’s selection. “This assembly offers an opportunity to amplify those efforts and position young people as leaders in the fight for ecological justice.”
The Assembly builds on previous gatherings in Arusha and Nairobi, continuing CYNESA’s mission to foster ecological education, formation, and action across Africa.
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