Youth Outreach Programme Unveils Exciting Activities Ahead of YouthFESTAC 2024


YOP CEO At The Press Conference 


By Raymond Dingana

The Youth Outreach Programme (YOP) has announced the second edition of the Youth Festival of Arts and Culture (YouthFESTAC) for Sunday, June 16th, 2024, in Bamenda, the capital of the North West Region of Cameroon. The event will provide an opportunity for the population of Bamenda to savor amazing cultural activities, something many haven't had for years now.

This was disclosed on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, during a press conference in Bamenda. The event, which will be held at the Big Mankon Cathedral Hall on Sunday June 16, will also serve as part of the activities to celebrate the International Day of the African Child.

The festival will feature workshops for children and youth, dance and fashion design competitions, exhibitions, and cultural displays, among other activities.

Media Practitioners, Others At The Press Conference 

As pointed out by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of YOP, Mr. Omer Songwe, young people have to participate in addressing issues that concern them reason why they are part of YouthFESTAC.

"The Youth Festival of Arts and Culture gives the youths the opportunity to be celebrants because they are actively participating in the activities. So when we talk about the youths' and children's participation, we want them to actively participate in the day of the African Child," 

said Mr. Songwe.

Ahead of the event, YOP will be organizing a three-day workshop from Wednesday, June 12, to Friday, June 14, 2024, for children and youth. 

An innovation to this year's YouthFESTAC is that more than 13 fashion designers registered to take part in the competition.

" We decided that only the first prize winner of last year will automatically qualify for this year's festival. So we have to shortlist four other fashion designers who compete for the main prize," 

explained Mr Songwe.

On Saturday, June 15th, another innovation to the festival, a 14km Cross Country Race, will take place in Bamenda I for junior and senior athletes

The winners in the senior category, both for men and women, will receive 100,000 FCFA, 75,000 FCFA, and 50,000 FCFA for first, second, and third prizes, respectively. 

In the junior category, the winner of the first prize will receive 75,000 FCFA, 50,000 FCFA, and 25,000 FCFA for the second and third prizes.

The event's climax will be on June 16th, with traditional dance competitions in the children and youth categories, as well as a fashion design competition. 

The winners in all categories will receive 200,000 FCFA, 150,000 FCFA, and 100,000 FCFA for the first, second, and third prizes, respectively.

According to the organizing committee, 13 fashion designers and 10 dance groups have registered for the competition. This year's event will feature guest cultural performances from Toumaka in the West Region.

Also present at the press conference was last year's winner of the YouthFESTAC fashion design category, Star Ngwen, who said YouthFESTAC made her who she is today.

"I'm proud to say that this festival has helped me improve my creativity and myself. The festival made me understand that there is more for me to offer and to gain. This event initiative draws people back to their culture. I had to look at those positive cultural practices that are fading and see how to bring them back and ensure they are well conserved,"

 said Ngwen.



Star Ngwen andr Omer Songwe At The Presser


Youth Festival of Arts and Culture YouthFESTAC puts young people at the heart of cultural development,and promotion. Activities cut across various cultural domains such as Visual Arts and Crafts, Audio Visual and Interactive Media, Tourism, Sports, just to name but these.

The goal is to promote,and stimulate innovation and youth participation within the cultural industries,and make Bamenda a cultural hub of the nation, and beyond.

About YOP:

Youth Outreach Programme (YOP) was registered in 1993 as a youth development association. Its mission is to empower young people to make informed decisions, where they are healthy, responsible, and actively involved in development processes. Their office is located at 1st Floor, Nangah Building-Ringway Street in Bamenda.


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