JA Gabon joined Citi in celebrating Citi’s 14th annual Global Community Day on June 8, 2019. This year, JA Gabon and Citi Gabon supported the National Institute of Management Sciences Open Day organized by Junior Enterprise-INSD in Libreville, Gabon. The theme for the event was “Employment in the Cultural and Creative Industry.”
The Open Day brought together local stakeholders to discuss the future of job opportunities in the Cultural and Creative Art Industry for Gabonese youth. Panelists from UNESCO, the National Employment Office, Ministry of Culture, Sound and Image Institute, artists and other industry players led discussions on harnessing the creative potential of Africa’s youth to foster job creation and economic growth.
The cultural and creative industries hold significant potential to provide gainful employment for the youth and build inclusive and sustainable cities, which will contribute to Africa’s economic growth and the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Reducing youth unemployment) and Goal 11: (Safe cities).
More than 110,000 Citi staff in more than 400 cities across 90 countries and territories volunteer in community projects each year. Since the inaugural Global Community Day in 2006, Citi volunteers have contributed over 4 million hours of service to Global Community Day projects. This annual day of service offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities to work alongside community and non-profit partners to help improve our cities and neighborhoods.
The collaboration between JA Gabon and Citi Gabon is part of a larger engagement between both organizations. Citi funds JA globally under its Pathways to Progress program, a program that helps young people, ages 16-24, pursue their career and economic ambitions by connecting them to opportunity. The program, which started in 2017, is Citi’s response to persistent youth unemployment. The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. The foundation invests in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill their mission and drives thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.
