Homecoming...
Two Gabonese winners of the first ITU Youth Forum fellowships speak to ITU
News about their experience
Following a memorable ten-day stay in South Africa, the first visit to that
country for both of them, Jérina Chendze Messie and Hubert Larcy Nguéma
Abiaga, the two Gabonese winners of the first ITU Youth Forum fellowships,
returned to Libreville on 18 November 2001.
From left to right: the Gabonese
Minister of Higher Education, winning candidate Jérina Chendze Messie,
the Gabonese Minister of State Responsible for Information Technologies,
winning candidate Hubert Larcy Nguéma Abiaga, the representative of the
South African Ambassador, the UNDP Resident Representative
Photo: R. Wooldridge (ITU 020001)
|
Before their departure, they were honoured at a prize-giving ceremony at
which the Gabonese Ministers for Information Technology and Higher Education
symbolically awarded each of them a computer with an integrated modem, a colour
printer and a six-month Internet subscription combined with a training course.
Ms Chendze Messie spoke for both winners at the ceremony, addressing thanks
to ITU among others, before observing that “telecommunications have become the
cornerstone of virtually all our everyday activities and contribute to the
prosperity of the global economy”. She also stressed the need for active
involvement by young people, who are tomorrow’s leaders.
|
On their return to Gabon, they spoke highly of the preparation they had
received for the forum from the Gabonese Office of Posts and Telecommunications,
which had given them an insight into the telecommunication sector and enabled
them to understand the concerns expressed during the Youth Forum debates,
despite their background in the arts. They drew a positive comparison between
Gabon’s public information campaign concerning the new information and
communication technologies and the overall developments in that field in Africa.
By virtue of the tasks assigned to them by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the
Youth Forum, they in turn hope and expect to contribute actively to specific
projects to be carried out in cooperation with national institutions and any
interested organizations.
|
They expressed satisfaction with their stay in South Africa and spoke proudly
of having been received by personalities such as the President of the Republic,
Thabo Mbeki, and the Secretary-General of ITU, Yoshio Utsumi.
|
