AYV News, December 12, 2024
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education will today December 12, conclude a two-day civic festival dubbed the Salone Civic Festival, holding at the front lawn of Youyi Building in Freetown.
The event seeks to bring the government closer to the people by creating a platform for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) including the Offices of the President, Vice President, First Lady and Chief Minister to interface with citizens on the status of the government’s Big Five agenda in the past one year.
At the center of the civic festival was the launch of the Civic Education Strategy which has six pillars as follows: Love Salone, Feed Salone, Clean Salone, Heal Salone, Digitize Salone and Salone For We All. The Civic Education Strategy is a blueprint for the enhancement of responsible and productive citizenship in Sierra Leone.
Interspersed with panel discussions, exhibitions, public engagements and cultural displays, the festival engendered national unity, civic pride and active citizenship. Citizens directly engaged with government ministries in their respective booths to respond to their questions and provide other vital information pertaining to implementation of the government’s Big Five agenda.
The civic festival also promoted cultural pride, heritage and unity through music, art, film and fashion, among others, and entreated citizens to actively participate in national development and support the Civic Education Strategy’s goals.
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education used the occasion to unveil its new website as well as those of other ministries in an effort to increase public access to essential civic information and delivery on government promises while presentations spotlighted Sierra Leone’s key achievements, particularly in mining, local content development, infrastructure, agriculture and digital transformation.
A massive outdoor stage erected hosting continuous live entertainment including music, poetry, fashion, exhibitions, cultural displays, etc throughout both days, ensuring an electrifying, celebratory atmosphere. The main indoor event in the Miatta Conference Center was dedicated to presentations and discussions around the Big Five by the relevant authorities.
The targeted audiences included youth, media practitioners, artists and filmmakers, government officials and the general public.
Ministries leveraged the festival to present their work, empower citizens to understand, appreciate and support national progress under the Civic Education Strategy. By creating a platform for transparent, cultural celebration, and active participation, the civic festival marked the beginning of a new era of civic responsibility and unity in Sierra Leone.
The Salone Civic Festival is expected to go a long way in bridging the communications gap between government and citizens.
