We are pleased to announce our upcoming ION Africa Youth Conference, which will be held in Lusaka, Zambia Thursday 6th June – Saturday 8th June 2019.

Objective Of The Conference

The Youth Conference will aim to attract up to 100 young people between the ages of 16-32, including international participants. The main aim of the conference is for the Orality Youth Leaders and other Youths to understand the concept of Orality more, as the Youth leaders will also use the platform as well to do their administrative responsibility separately, The conference also aim to orient more youths into orality in Zambia and a few from other countries.

The objectives of this youth conference are to:

• Launch the ION Youth Africa movement on a strong prayer foundation.
• To sponsor 30 Youth from different countries in Africa to come to Zambia for a Youth ION Africa Meeting
• To involve the youth in the seven gateways in the ION meeting in Zambia
• To have a special leadership meeting with the youth leaders that where elected into the international Africa team to see how they can start mobilizing youth for the great commission.
• To support the youth that where already trained in a previous training with further strategies and ideas on resource generation for the great commission.
• To have some sessions that will orient the new leadership on the core values of ION and structures that will assist them in their planning for future ION endeavours across the African continent

Activities

The steering committee is planning the following activities:

• We are planning to have a one day full training and orientation for the 30 youths including the elected leadership that should equip them sufficiently to tackle the job of spearheading the brainstorming of ideas that will cause ION to spread in the youth across Africa.
• The training will be facilitated by at least 5 speakers who are experienced in Orality and its practical use in the African continent.
• The Invited youths will be given an opportunity to participate with the trained Zambia youths in practical Orality.
• The youth leadership and their counterparts will hold brainstorming sessions throughout the conference discussing issues around what is being presented and how it can help them shape ideas and strategies for spreading ION to the next generation
• We will have youth lead prayer for different countries in Africa and pray for specific issues that will be identified as hindrances and opportunities to the spreading of the ION movement in Africa.

Background

International Orality Network Africa is in the process of establishing itself in Africa. Though the process seems slow, the good news is that God has been guiding the team in this process. The team realized that they cannot manage this great network without depending on God and therefore prayer has been given more priority in this establishment process.

They also realised that in order for this commission to be successful, the Youth have to be involved. It has been identified that these Youth if empowered would be able to take the lead in promoting all of the seven Gateways [Storying, Focused Outreach, Development (Integral Mission) Arts and Culture, Media, Education, Research and Innovation] that are being promoted by ION.

Dr Madziakapita, during his statement, noted that if the youth can understand these gateways and they are supported to take the great mission in schools, universities, youth ministries in churches etc, then the chances of advancing the ministry of Jesus Christ to oral communicators effectively is possible.

The consultation that was held at eMseni conference centre in South Africa saw a good number of youth attend including some of those that had taken part in the Zambia meeting with considerable progress being made, in that a Youth Africa leadership was elected to help pioneer the ION youth movement.

These Youth have demonstrated an exceptional interest and ability to learn new skills, develop creative action plans in promoting Orality, as well as engaging other youths all over Africa.