Cameroonian youths celebrated the 48th edition of the National Youth Day yesterday, February 11, 2014, on the theme "Youth, patriotism and promotion of national integration."

It was another opportunity for youths throughout the country to express their support for the policies of the government and gratitude for the many measures taken by the government for their development. In Yaounde, youths from schools of all the seven subdivisions came out to demonstrate love for their country and support for the Head of State, Paul Biya. Young people from primary, secondary, higher education, extracurricular education and political parties, marched past, singing patriotic songs in the two official languages.

As they marched past, they carried banners with messages such as "Youths, let's bar the way to homosexuality," "Let's have a sound behaviour for an exemplary and civic mind," "Bilingualism: A factor of socio-cultural integration," "Let's fight against social discrimination, a source of division and instability," "No to stigmatisation of disabled people," and "No to embezzlement of State funds," among others. In all, the messages were well understood by the crowd that did not stop clapping and encouraging the youths.

One of the youths, Jean Claude Onguene, said the Youth Day is not only for those in school, but for all youths. He said the messages on the banners were also directed to their friends in the streets to let them understand that it is important to study. Some street children who did not have the opportunity to be part of the event were equally by the roadside to watch.

They clapped and shouted with joy as they read the different messages on the banners borne by different schools. One of the street children who asked for anonymity said from the messages, he had made up his mind to go back to his family so as to continue schooling.