PS challenges EAC youth to look for opportunities instead of waiting on Governments to fix things
East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanzania; 05 June 2017:
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry to the Office of the President Responsible for East African Community Affairs in the Republic of Burundi, Amb. Jean Rigi launched the design competition for the new EAC emblem and logo in the Republic of Burundi on Friday 2nd June 2017.
Addressing design arts students at the Ecole Technique des Arts de Gitega, Amb. Rigi, who was representing his Minister, Hon. Isabelle Ndahayo, said the sensitization and launch of the competition in the Partner States fits perfectly well into the regional aspiration of creating space for the citizens, and especially the youth development in the integration agenda.
The Permanent Secretary informed the attentive students and invited guests that the launch of the competition was taking place just after two weeks when a pupil from Lycee Mkamba received an award at the regional level in the East African Community Essay Writing Competition for students in Secondary Schools. “This Burundian student was very lucky to have met and shook the hands of the Heads of State at their 18th Ordinary Summit that took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania”. “And therefore this regional competition is a golden opportunity offered to the youth for them to participate in the regional integration agenda”.
Amb. Rigi noted that the youth was the future of the East African Community and therefore it was necessary to ensure their active and effective representation in the society as well as in the national and regional development agenda. “I challenge the youth to develop their knowledge and potential and look for opportunities instead of waiting on the Governments to fix things”, asserted the Permanent Secretary.
The Permanent Secretary wished the youth in East Africa successful competition in a bid to create a new Brand for the EAC Organs and Institutions, “which will inevitably set the East African Community and its population on the road to a new, brighter and prosperous future”.
The Director of the Ecole Technique des Arts de Gitega, Mr. Clement Nzosaba, disclosed that the Arts School was gearing to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in October 2017 and that it had 842 alumni. And therefore “I was not surprised that this School was chosen to host this very important sensitization workshop on and launch of the design for the new look of the EAC”, noted the Director of the School, whose motto is Art, Culture and Harmony.
The Supervisor of Education in Gitega Province, Father Vincent Bandeba was among the invited guests to witness the launch of the competition.
The 24th meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs and Planning held on 30th June 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya, considered and adopted the EAC Brand Architecture Strategy and directed the EAC Secretariat to use the Youth in the region to develop the new EAC Brand Architecture.
The EAC Brand Architecture Strategy proposes several activities that include re-designing a new EAC emblem and logo, developing a common unique identifier for all Organs and Institutions; developing one primary (main) EAC corporate colour and one secondary colour; and developing a single visual identity emblem for the Community.
There are several gaps that have been identified in the current EAC brand architecture, which the design competition is expected to address.
Guidelines for participating in the EAC Brand Architecture Design Competition is available on www.eac.int. The Competition period is from 1st June 2017 to 31st August 2017.
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For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
