Young boys and girls from 17 villages and neighbourhoods, coming from different political, religious and ethnic backgrounds came together throughout the month of August to carry out a public hygiene and clean-up operation in the town of Tabou. The operation took

place in the presence of local authorities and a delegation of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) which used the occasion to discuss the values related to the culture of peace with the youths.



"{By coming together voluntarily to carry out this clean-up exercise, you have demonstrated your ability to unite, to protect your environment and to adhere to the peace and reconciliation process}," the head of the UNOCI delegation told the youths.



The divisional director of youth and Sport, Theodore Zoumaboue Bi Zebou spoke in the same vein. "{If you had demonstrated such a spirit before, perhaps the crisis would not have created so many victims in our district. We urge you to learn to be above board every time you are required to do so for the good of all and our country in particular," he said.}



Recalling the objectives of the operation, the president of the Collective of Youth Associations of Tabou, Gerard Ahi Badisson who initiated the exercise, said the youths wanted to take

their destiny into their hands: "{We sought to bring together the youths of the different villages which had been divided over the various elections that have taken place. Since all the associations have responded favourably, we plan to organize other types of socio-cultural activities which we hope the UN would support. We thank the UN for supporting the present initiative}," he said. It should be noted that UNOCI provided transportation and medical assistance for the clean-up operation.