By Mahmoud Kamara, Government Information Officer
New York City | August 9, 2025
In a moment marked by history, emotion, and hope, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Honourable Chernor Bah, took center stage at the 30th AFS Youth Assembly in New York City with a keynote address that drew both tears and thunderous applause from over 700 youth delegates representing 100 countries.
Titled “From War Child to World Stage”, Bah’s speech traced his remarkable personal journey from growing up amid the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone to becoming a global advocate for education and now a senior government minister helping shape the future of his nation.
“Exactly 11 years ago, I stood on this same stage as a young activist,” Bah began, referencing his role in 2014 as Chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advocacy Group. “Back then, I told the story of a child who refused to be silent. Today, I tell that story again with new chapters.”
Born in a country once revered as the “Athens of West Africa” for its educational legacy, Bah recalled how Sierra Leone’s promise was nearly lost to conflict, corruption, and a crumbling education system.
He shared haunting memories of going to school to the sound of gunfire and eventually being forced into exile. But even in exile, he said, he found a purpose becoming a voice for youth and education.
“We didn’t know what the Sustainable Development Goals were back then,” he said, “but we knew that education was our only path to peace.”
Now serving in one of Africa’s youngest and most progressive governments, Bah highlighted Sierra Leone’s transformation under President Julius Maada Bio, including landmark reforms such as free quality education, the abolition of the death penalty, decriminalization of abortion, and record investments in human capital development.
He also emphasized the power of civic engagement and public trust. “We are bringing governance closer to the people,” he said, citing initiatives like weekly press briefings in local languages, presidential town halls, and civic festivals designed to empower citizens and strengthen democracy.
Bah warned of the new threats facing youth today not guns and bombs, but misinformation, digital propaganda, and climate denial. Yet, he remained steadfast in his belief that education remains the most effective weapon against division and disinformation.
“Today’s battlefield is different, but the solution is the same,” he said. “Education that teaches peace, citizenship, and resilience.”
The minister’s address drew a standing ovation, reminiscent of the response he received during his first speech at the Assembly over a decade ago. His words served as both a mirror and a map reflecting the past, while pointing a way forward for a new generation of leaders.
“To all of you here,” he concluded, “see adversity not as a wall, but as a doorway. If a child who grew up under gunfire can stand here today and speak to the world then nothing is impossible.”
The AFS Youth Assembly, hosted annually in New York, is one of the world’s largest gatherings of young changemakers, fostering dialogue, leadership, and global cooperation in pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
