The day was organized based on the theme of this year; Youth: Instruments of Peace. This was motivated by the experience of early last year when life-long friends and neighbours were transformed into enemies of each other and on the observation that many of those who carried out the heinous actions were the young people motivated by selfish politically influenced ends.
To grace the day was the main guest and the facilitator of the theme, former Vice President Honorable Arthur Moody Awori, popularly known as 'uncle'. He effectively traced the glorious past of our then young country, full of hope up to the current sad state of affairs brought about by failed policies, and unfulfilled promises of the past forty-five years, and the discomfort of the common 'mwananchi' all culminating in the post-election violence of early last year. He also mentioned the many areas that the government is ignorant and apparently without will of commitment and which casts the wellbeing of the future of generations in a bleak situation. He then challenged us young people of Kenya to take our advantage of the majority that we are in terms of votes (about sixty percent of votes)to influence the institution of a responsible government. He reiterated that if we want peace in Kenya we especially the young people have to have self identity that's not prone to incitement into violence; we have to respect others' dignity and their property. There are no safe short-cuts to peace; we have to do something. Discussions in groups followed based on sub-topics after which there were presentations.
The third part constituted the competition based on drama; choral verses, dances and short plays. This was a thoroughly enjoyable part, poor us we didn't have a video camera. Githurai Parish, for the third time consecutively took the first position.
The climax of the day was the holy mass celebrated by the vice rector of Allamano House, Fr. Antonio Bellagamba. He recounted the love of our Blessed Founder for young people by recounting how he (Allamano) reprimanded a missionary for administering corporal punishment on a young person. He then beautifully climaxed his homily by leading the young people, reaching to about three hundred, to promises of NO to evil and yes to goodness.
May our lady of Consolata and Blessed Joseph Allamano intercede for us young people that we may appreciate the gift of life and the vocation to love each other.
