ABBEY MAKOE SPEAKS DURING THE CMG YOUTH IN ACTION EVENT

“I’ve just came back two days ago from China’s historic Xi’an city in Shaanxi province where I participated in the Global South Media Partners Mechanism Inauguration and 13TH Global Video Media Forum, organized by the China Media Group, or CMG.

My experience of interacting with the CMG, be it here in South Africa or back in Mainland China, has a common feature. The CMG walks the talk. It is the world’s largest media with bureaus in over 60 countries and over a billion of combined viewers, readers and listeners. Yet, for us at the Global South Media Network (GSMN), experience has shown us that when you interact with the CMG, particularly through the Africa bureau, you are treated with respect, dignity and kind consideration for mutually beneficial initiatives. I stand here as a proud beneficiary of the CMG Africa Bureau in Johannesburg, having been assisted with some equipment when I needed it the most but could not afford it.

Together with the CMG team, our media has cooperated in content creation and sharing, and more possibilities lie in the horizon in which we continue to pursue win-win cooperation.

Today, we are gathered here to shine the torch on the important role that the youth play in the development of the global society.

Dubbed “Global Governance: Youth in Action”, the CMG has set a worthy example that over and above news coverage and reporting, it is desirable to foster dialogue among ourselves – regardless of age – and debate issues of common interest in our endeavor to establish a common understanding across generations. Young people are the future, and they deserve to be enabled to map out that future unhindered, and unhinged.

Finally, I want to say that it is my fervent wish that today’s event is not a once-off, but rather an annual pause and introspection aimed at the creation and fostering of an inclusive society, regardless of status, colour, gender or creed.

I thank you.”