“…This project will open a new chapter, build bridges between young people who are tomorrow’s future. Together, we must build the future, Luketa M’Pindou, Executive Director of AJFAS”.
These sentiments were expressed on Thursday, November 16, 2017, when the Minister of Canadian Heritage, The Honourable Mélanie Joly, announced in Edmonton, Alberta, funding for Multiculturalism Program recipients.
On February 23, 2018, the project, JEUNES AMBASSADEURS ITINERANTS ( JAMIT), was launched at Michaëlle Jean School, Edmonton, Alberta, with the support of some youths, community and political leaders, by Jeunesse-Famille de l’ Alberta Society (AJFAS). This young ambassador project targets francophone young people aged 12 to 17 for elementary school, and 18 to 30 for young people at the college or university level. These youths will be trained to become ambassadors to promote Canadian multicultural diversity in schools and in the community. JAMIT is a national project which is a partnership of 3 provinces Alberta, Ontario and Québec.
The objective of JAMIT is to connect youth from all backgrounds, promote Canadian citizenship, involve youth in civic engagement and enable intercultural understanding by breaking the divide between youth, as well as, promoting equal opportunities, promoting social justice, promoting human rights, and the virtues of democracy.
The responsibility of the Young Ambassadors will be to act as a mentor and represent their schools and their community at the local, regional, provincial, and national levels. They will present workshops to other young people at school or in their respective communities, participate in discussion groups related to youth issues, and many other discussions. They will be ambassadors to other young people in order to prevent violence, racism, discrimination, or radicalization. To do this, they will have the opportunity to address all these issues with politicians, leaders, and both political and community decision-makers.
Luketa M’Pindou, Executive Director of AJFAS pointed out that for Alberta, JAMIT, will cover all the 19 schools of the francophone school board (Conseil Scolaire Centre Nord (CSCN)).
