9th Africa Conference- Day 1

Day 1, Sunday 27 June 2010

The Africa Committee opened the Conference with a quick roll call of the 30 Member Organizations represented at the event, briefed participants on conference procedures, nominations, resolutions and finally outlined the programme for the 9th Regional Conference.

Five youth delegates from the Region invited participants to reflect on the theme of the conference ‘Taking the lead to change lives’. In addition to providing us all with interesting things to reflect on they also roused our spirits with a fantastic song composed by the group the night before!

Members of the Africa Committee presented their regional report and highlighted all the fantastic achievements for the Region. All proposed motions were accepted by a unanimous vote.

After lunch, we all got into local buses and made our way through the windy streets of Antananarivo (Tana) to the Palais des Sports et de la Culture (Sport and Culture Stadium) for the official opening ceremony. There was huge excitement and a fantastic buzz as the stadium was filled with young members from the three Malagasy Scouting and Guiding Federations.

Malagasy Government officials were present to mark the official opening of the conference, including: the Minister of Youth and Leisure, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Mediator for the current Transition Government, the Archbishop of Antananarivo as well as several key stakeholders/partners.

There were a series of speeches as well as some local Malagasy music and dancing performed by the Scouting and Guiding Federation of Madagascar.

As well as celebrating the official opening of the 9th Africa Regional Conference and the WAGGGS Centenary, this was also an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic contribution of two outstanding women. Both Honorine Kiplagat (from Kenya and Madagascar) and Olayinka Olaniyan (from Nigeria) were awarded the Bronze Medal for their dedication to Guiding.

The ceremony was made all the more lively through singing, dancing and the colouful uniforms and traditional costumes from all 18 Regions of Madagascar. This really was a true celebration of Guiding as well as Malagasy culture.

Following dinner at the hotel, the new candidates standing for election within the Africa Committee each gave a 5 minute election pitch.