Background:
 The National Youth Conference and Festival (known as NAYCONF) is a
biennial event that brings the nation's youth together to discuss
issues affecting their lives as well as their role in National
Development. It was originally called The National Youth Week and only
consisted of Sporting and Cultural programmes.
Such Youth Week celebration were first held in Banjul in 1974/1975,
then in Basse, URD in 1975
With the adoption of the National Youth Policy, the event became a
biennial one and consisted not only on sporting and Cultural
Programmes but Youth Conference as well.
The Conference affords youths, through their accredited
representations the opportunity to discuss ,matters of common interest
vis-à-vis their role in National Development. The Youth forum serves
as an authoritative source of information on the problems of Youth as
seen by the Youths themselves.
The Youth Festival on other hand, engenders interaction amongst Youths
inn a true spirit of oneness and love through the various sporting and
cultural Programmes as well as participate in a community Service
Project. Youth Participants from the zone two countries are also
invited to take part in the Festival.
The Youth Conference and Festival was first held in Bakau, KSMD in
1990 followed by Janjanbureh' MID 1992 and Mansakonko, LRD 1994.
Programmes:
The week long event will feature a variety of sporting, cultural and
intellectual programmes.
The opening will be marked by a spectacular parade of all youth
delegates from different parts of the country, punctuated by cultural
displays depicting the cultural forms that are most unique to each
Division.
The second day will mark the official opening of the Youth Conference
on the theme" Youth and the Challenges of the New Millenium". An Art
and Craft s exhibition Portraying the talent of Gambian Youth in the
Visual and plastic Arts across the country will be opened on the same
day.
The rest of the days, will satisfy the sporting, theatrical and
musical thirst of the youths through keen competitions.
The last day marking the closing ceremony of the Conference and
Festival will witness the award prizes and certificates.
The Committee:
A National Committee
was inaugurated in November 1998, by the then acting Secretary of
State for Youth and sports, Captain (Retired) Yankuba Touray and
charged with responsibility to co-ordinate of the week long event. The
work of this Committee is complimented by that of various
sub-committee whose task it is to address the financial, logistical
and organizational implications of the event.
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