Accra (Ghana). From 7 to 11 September 2026, the first edition took place at Accra of the West Africa Youth Day, a historic event promoted by the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA/CERAO). For the first time, the bishops of West Africa organized a continental gathering inspired by World Youth Day, aiming to offer young people an experience of faith, formation, and fraternity.
The initiative stems from a 2019 proposal, when young people from Burkina Faso asked for the establishment of a regional day dedicated to youth. CERAO approved the project in 2020, but the pandemic delayed its implementation. The year 2026 finally marked the launch of this long-awaited and necessary undertaking, conceived as a “prophetic sign” of unity and hope for a region often beset by tensions, insecurity, and forced migration.
Gathered at the event’s main venue—the historic Achimota School—4,000 young people from 16 West African Countries spent days in deep reflection, prayer, and dialogue centered on the Day’s theme: “Take courage: young people as protagonists and agents of peace and hope in West Africa.”
The activities alternated between spiritual moments—prayer, catechesis, and liturgical celebrations—and opportunities for dialogue, cultural exchange, festivals, and educational workshops, aiming to help young people overcome linguistic barriers (particularly between Francophones and Anglophones) and geographical divides. This blend of spiritual, educational, and cultural dimensions fostered the growth of a new generation of leaders capable of contributing to the continent’s stability and development.
The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) actively participated in organizing and animating the event. Among them was Sister Justine Egbedike, author of one of the official hymns (Lord Jesus, Son of God), which accompanied and gave voice to the young people’s journey throughout the days.
Father Vincent de Paul Boro, the first Deputy Secretary of RECOWA/CERAO, reiterated that the meeting constitutes a “prophetic sign” for a renewed youth ministry, while Father Peter Konteh, President of the Regional Union of Priests of West Africa, expressed the hope that the event might “awaken a new generation of Catholics rooted in Christ and courageous in hope.”
Through a video message Pope Leo XIV greeted the young people in French and English, beginning with a simple and direct greeting: “Dear young people, peace be with you!”He encouraged them to look to the future with confidence and to become artisans of peace in their communities. He praised the “wonderful initiative”of the RECOWA/CERAO bishops and urged the young people not to fear the challenges of the present, but to experience them as an opportunity for Christian witness.
The Pope expressed his joy at an initiative that has “placed young people at the heart of the pastoral priorities”of the region’s episcopal conferences, emphasizing that“these days shared together will help them grow in faith and mature in fundamental values such as encounter and openness to others.” In a pivotal statement, he affirmed: “You are not a ‘sacrificed generation,’ as many might think. In the Church, God’s family, you are God’s ‘today,’ the ‘today’ of the Church!” Echoing Benedict XVI, he noted that young people are “rich in qualities, energy, dreams, and hopes”, vital resources for both the Church and the world.
Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need to walk together, because “walking together means ensuring that no one is marginalized, isolated, excluded, or rejected.”He invited young people to become “builders of bridges between peoples, cultures, and religions,” following the example of Jesus, who “excluded no one from His journey.”
In a continent marked by conflict, political instability, and inequality, the Pope called upon young people to be witnesses of love, justice, and peace, capable of delivering “a powerful message to our world, which is beset by wars and conflicts of every kind.” He warned them against the risk of pursuing superficial models of happiness: “Do not sacrifice your precious youth on the altar of fleeting pleasures and superficiality.” He reminded them that humanity’s deepest questions find no answer “in the endless scrolling on our mobile phones, which capture our attention while leaving our minds weary and our hearts empty.” Fulfilling authentic desires requires “going beyond ourselves.”
In the concluding part of the message, Pope Leo XIV entrusted the young people to the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, praying for her intercession for “the integral human development of your beloved nations.” This expression encapsulates the vision of an Africa capable of growth by placing at its center human dignity, social participation, peace, and the opportunity to build a future in one’s own land.
West Africa Youth Day was not merely a spiritual gathering, but a laboratory for the future. The Pope’s message, alongside the testimonies of bishops and pastoral leaders, pointed to a clear direction. Africa’s future cannot be built without its young people. The event was experienced not only as a celebration of faith modeled on World Youth Day but as a genuine social laboratory for shaping a new generation of leaders committed to the continent’s stability and development.
“I count on you and have faith in you; the Church has faith in you,” said the Pope. These words resonated as a mandate to be protagonists of the present, artisans of peace and hope, and builders of a society in which no one is considered superfluous.
