Introduction
From 7th to 12th of September 2026, Accra, Ghana, became a vibrant meeting place of faith, friendship, hope, and youthful energy as young Catholics from across West Africa gathered for the very first West Africa Youth Days, under the inspiring theme: “Take courage: Catholic Youth as Actors and Agents of Peace and Hope in West Africa.”
The gathering brought together young people from sixteen countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Togo, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Cape Verde, Senegal, Niger, Mauritania, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau, who were accompanied by their Bishops, Priests (Chaplains), Religious and Youth leaders for a moment of prayer, reflection, learning and fellowship.
This program created a beautiful expression of the universality of the Catholic Church and the richness of West Africa’s cultures, languages, and traditions. For five good days, young people came together not simply as participants in an event, but as brothers and sisters united by a common faith and a shared desire to contribute positively to the future of their communities and regions.
A Celebration of Faith and Unity
Right from the opening Mass which was presided over by the president of the Episcopal Conference of Ghana’s Bishops, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi (the Bishop of Sunyani Diocese), the Youth Days were marked by a strong spirit of communion. Young people representing different nations, cultures, and dioceses, discovered that, despite their differences, they share many of the same hopes, dreams, challenges, and aspirations.
The diversity of the sixteen participating countries was itself a testimony to the beauty of the Church in West Africa. Songs, dances, languages, testimonies, cultural expressions, and personal encounters transformed Accra into a meeting point where borders seemed to disappear and a sense of one Catholic family emerged.
“Take Courage”: A Call to Young People
The theme of the gathering spoke directly to the realities facing young people today.
“Take courage” is more than a comforting phrase. It is an invitation to young Catholics to look at their societies with faith, hope, and responsibility. West Africa is blessed with a young and dynamic population, yet its youth also face challenges including unemployment, migration, poverty, violence, social division, misinformation, and uncertainty about the future.
In the midst of these realities, the Youth Days offered a different message: young people are not merely the recipients of decisions made by others. They have a role to play in shaping their communities and building a more peaceful and hopeful future.
Participants were encouraged to recognize the gifts, talents, creativity, and leadership already present among them. Their faith calls them to transform these gifts into concrete service to others.
Catholic Youth as Actors and Agents of Peace
Peace was one of the central messages of the gathering.
In a region where communities can sometimes be affected by conflict, political tensions, intolerance, social inequalities, and divisions, young Catholics were challenged to become builders of bridges rather than walls.
Being an agent of peace begins with everyday choices: listening before judging, rejecting hatred and discrimination, promoting dialogue, forgiving, defending human dignity, and standing with those who are vulnerable or excluded.
This responsibility begins in families, schools, parishes, workplaces, universities, youth groups, and local communities. The young Catholic who chooses dialogue instead of confrontation, service instead of selfishness, and hope instead of despair is already participating in the work of peace.
Agents of Hope for West Africa
The Youth Days also placed a strong emphasis on hope.
For many young people, hope can be difficult to maintain when confronted with economic difficulties, limited opportunities, insecurity, or uncertainty about the future. Yet the Christian message invites young people to become witnesses that another future is possible.
The young people gathered in Accra were encouraged to take their faith beyond the event and into their communities. Whether through evangelization, social outreach, education, environmental initiatives, advocacy for vulnerable people, parish ministry, entrepreneurship, professional life, or simple acts of kindness, every young person can contribute to the transformation of society.
The message was clear: West Africa needs young people who believe that their actions matter.
A School of Encounter and Fraternity
Beyond conferences and formal activities, perhaps one of the greatest fruits of the West Africa Youth Days was the opportunity for young people to encounter one another.
Friendships were formed across national and cultural boundaries. Stories were shared. Experiences were exchanged. Participants learned from one another and discovered new ways of expressing the same faith.
These encounters offered a powerful reminder that fraternity is not an abstract concept. It is built through personal relationships.
A young person from one country could listen to the experience of another from a completely different context and discover both differences and common ground. Such encounters have the potential to continue long after the closing ceremony, creating networks of friendship, collaboration, prayer, and mission throughout West Africa.
West Africa Youth Days and the Charism of the Missionaries of Africa
The West Africa Youth Days in Accra provided a wonderful opportunity to all the Religious Congregations present and Movements to introduce their Charisms. Thus, it was a great opportunity for us, as Missionaries of Africa, to encounter young people and share with them our missionary charism which is our passion for proclaiming the Gospel to the people of the African world and building bridges among peoples and cultures through encounter and dialogue.
The West Africa Youth Days in Accra were therefore not only an opportunity to present our missionary vocation, but also a privileged moment of encounter with the young Church. We are grateful for the opportunity to walk with young people and to encourage them to discover how they too can become witnesses of Christ and instruments of peace, unity, and hope in our world today.
Conclusion
The West Africa Youth Days 2026 came to an end with a solemn closing Mass which was presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, H.E. Most Rev.. Julien Kabore. This Mass was not a conclusion as such but a sending forth.
The Nuncio reminded everyone that the youth are not only the future of the Church and society, but actors and agents of peace today. Inspired by the call to “Take courage,” participants returned to their communities renewed in faith and committed to building bridges, promoting peace, and bringing hope wherever they are called to serve.
By: Barthelemy Buredi wa Buredi, M.Afr.
