The following is a reflection on the 8th Annual YPFDJ Conference in
Ontario. For more reflections, visit ypfdjconference.wordpress.com
I have been attending YPFDJ conferences since 2008, and I found this
year’s conference to be nothing less than a pleasant experience. With every
year, there are noticeable improvements that set each conference apart in
terms of content and overall quality. This one in particular impacted me in
a way that past conferences did not. This time, I felt invigorated by
presentations that were given by guest speakers and our bitsot,
participated more in discussions and activities, and developed some of my
own weaknesses into strengths-in-the-making. Being from the DC area, the
hosting city for 4 out of the 5 YPFDJ conferences I’ve attended, and being
involved with coordinating them doesn't necessarily allow you to
fully experience conferences the way our bitsot from other chapters do.
Since this year the conference wasn't going to be in our backyard anymore,
we finally got the chance to travel somewhere new—15 hours later, we made
it there and dived right into the program for the day. Needless to say, it
was a long day but at the same time, the tone and energy that our bitsot
had was enough to keep me engaged and enthusiastic about what was to come.
What was more apparent to me about this year’s conference many of us were
actively participating with the assignment/discussion at hand, where
real thoughts and opinions on topics revolving around Eritrea and us as
Eritreans living abroad were expressed and debated. Also, another component
that was different this year was that it was open specifically to only
YPFDJ-age attendees with very select Hidri allowed. This aspect had its
pro’s and con’s, but it definitely catered the content of the conference to
be more focused on topics that were more relevant to my frame of mind.
Presentations from those such as Ms. Sophia Tesfamariam, Mr.
Zemhret Yohannes, and Dr. Gidewon Abbay gave me deeper insight on aspects
of my identity and on the global and local position Eritrea currently
maintains. I’m very involved with Hidri from the DC area, so when one of
them actually agreed to go up on stage to help present what our group
discussed, I surprisingly got so excited and proud because I was seeing him
grow. I knew that this was something out of his comfort zone, but he still
went up and spoke. Seeing that, I realized that these annual conferences
are also a time for us to grow and mature. As badly as I am afraid
of public speaking, it was bittersweet to be forced out of my own comfort
zone as well by having to give a presentation and leading some group
activities. I also enjoyed the social aspect of this year’s conference. Up
until this past winter, when I had the opportunity to attend the Nakfa
conference, I didn’t really know many people in YPFDJ from other chapters.
Seeing them again was like a mini-reunion—it’s amazing how we could easily
pick things up from where we left them even though we are separated from
each other so far and for so long. A lot of the cultural performances were
varied and displayed a the incredible diversity reflective of Eritrea. In
my opinion, this year’s conference was my favorite—I learned so much about
my history, my identity, and how great my impact can be for the good of
Eritrea now and in the future.
Semhar Daniel, YPFDJ-DC II
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YPFDJ MEDIA
Received on Mon Nov 05 2012 - 14:35:55 EST
