Press Releases

LASG Calls For Global Youths Interaction

Nov 12, 2009 - Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Sosan, Thursday called for programmes that will afford youths across the globe the opportunity for interaction both culturally and in other spheres of life.

Princess Sosan, who stood in for the Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), when a team of students from the United States of America who are part of the Reading Across Continents programme paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Alausa, said such programmes have become very expedient even as the world continues to shrink into a global village.

The Deputy Governor said the world would be a better place with fewer conflicts in the future if the youths of today are given the opportunity to understand themselves, their cultures and differences, adding that although they may read a lot about each other, it is always better to experience the inter-personal relationship.

“The youths in the U.S.A. are the same as the youths in Nigeria, Japan, Ghana and other countries of the world. The programme will afford them the opportunity to have cross cultural relationships with their peers across the world. They read a lot about each other, but it is the actual thing that gives a memorable impression”, the Deputy Governor said, adding that when a child sees the real thing it becomes permanent.

She commended the United States Government for funding the programme adding that as a government, the Lagos State Government is putting a lot of strategies in place to improve reading, to improve literacy and to read and learn about other cultures.

Princess Sosan said the visit of the students and their interaction with their Nigerian counterparts would, undoubtedly, make a more lasting impression on both parties pointing out that the programme would increase their knowledge and understanding of each others’ cultures and differences.

The Deputy Governor also commended the coordinators of the programme, Mr. Sakil Malik and Mrs. Moucha Ochoa, for organizing the visit to Nigeria, saying the programme would break any cultural barriers that hitherto existed among the youths.

Calling for more regular visits among students in the two countries, Princess Sosan declared, “Let them know that Nigeria is home and America is home. It opens and exposes them to issues of life and they can compare notes; they can even write reports in governance”, adding that the youth all over the world should be encouraged to make decisions, should be regarded as one and treated as future leader of the world”.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Mr. Sakil Malik, said the programme under the auspices of the International Reading Association is being financed by the Department of State in the United States Government adding that the three participating schools include School Without Walls in Washington DC, U.S.A., Loyola Jesuit College in Abuja, Nigeria and Achimota College in Ghana.

He said with the world fast becoming a global village, the programme is meant to bring the youths together as future leaders of the world to know and understand each others’ cultures adding that it will also increase their knowledge of each others’ countries and aid them in their future roles as leaders.

Also present at the occasion were the Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development, Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, and other top government functionaries.