A delegation of MAU Bayreuth visiting the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa

The Human Resources, Science and Technology Commission of the African Union through its Youth Division organised a series of activities ahead of the African Youth Day, Nov 1, 2017. MAU Bayreuth is privileged and proud to represent the Diaspora at the ever first continental Model African Union and most of all of the finalization of the Toolkit that will serve as a standard for simulation of the AU globally.

1. MAU Toolkit Development
The MAU toolkit finalization workshop took place on the 27th and 28th October at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa and was made up of about 20 young people from within and without the continent including MAU Bayreuth e.V, representing the diaspora, MAU Tunisia, YALDA Ethiopia, the Kenyan Youth Club Chapter and young people and professionals of various working fields. The aims of this meeting were to finalize the draft framework document that will serve as a guide for simulation of the African Union across the continent and around the world. Under the guidance of Youth Labs, a South Africa-based facilitation agency, the MAU toolkit workgroup merged ideas and experiences to come up with an enhanced and final version of the toolkit which was subsequently tested during a two-day simulation.I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

2. AU MAU Conference
The ever first simulation organized by the African Union took place from the 30th to 3rd November at the AU Headquarters. This pilot project saw the participation of over 100 young students, academicians and professionals from various organisations on the continent. Prior to the simulation, a one-day training facilitated by the MAU toolkit workgroup was organised to verse the participants with the structures and organs, rules and procedures of the AU, as well as teach them writing, argumentation, public speaking and other soft skills.
The first AU MAU Conference held under this year’s theme: “Harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youths”. Four committees were simulated under the following specific topics :
•    PSC: Youth and Extreme Violence
•    STC (On Education, Science and Technology): Strengthening popular participation of youth in the Affairs of the AU
•    ECOSOCC: Youth and Migration, Education, Employment (Main Focus on youth and Agri-Business, Tourism, Vocational Education).
•    ACEWRC: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of girls.
Afterwards, the Executive Council and the Assembly of the Union were also quite successfully simulated. In spite of all the challenges, The first Model African Union is an event to remember as participants went back to their various countries with sound knowledge of Agenda 2063 and how the AU is run. Most of them now aspire to organise a Model African Union in their various countries to engage more youths in the affairs of the AU for a prosperous and peaceful Africa coming 2063.I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

3. Africa Youth Day #BeTheFutureToday
The Celebration of the African Youth Day (November 1, 20117) marked the end of a week of enriching exchange among youth. Together with the CDC AU-Youth Volunteers, the participants of the simulation received their certificates from the hands of the Commissioner of Social Affairs and Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology. I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

4. Africa Talks Jobs – Equipping the Youth with Adaptive Education and Skills for Employment
Beside the MAU-activities Africa Talks Jobs, a conference on education and employment of youth took place at the AU headquarters. It was organised by AUC-HRST, NEPAD and Business Africa in cooperation with the GIZ. From Oct 30 until Nov 1 more than 400 delegates from various African countries, the diaspora and Europe came together to make a contribution to the continent-wide Year of Demographic Dividend, Year of Youth. Further on the event is part of the roadmap to the 5th AU-EU Summit at the end of this month. In plenary sessions, interactive working groups and thematic sessions the overall objective of the participants emerged: “We must move from Africa Talks Jobs to Africa Makes Jobs”.
Many organisations presented their own ways on how to motivate the youths to become job creators rather than job seekers. There were people who developed an academy where they train university students on how to found a startup or others who are doing vocational training in low-income areas in addition to the formal educational system. Beside the presentation of practical examples, relevant AU strategies on youth and various national policies were presented and discussed and joint goals of the AU and the EU crystalized.