The Archdiocese of Yaoundé plans to establish an art conservatory to train cultural executives. Abbot Vladimir Bidzanga, who is leading this initiative, aims to ensure that young individuals in Cameroon and Central Africa receive training at par with international standards. In an interview with Radio Vatican, the cleric elaborated, "The Archbishop of Yaoundé wanted to create a space where arts and crafts could be practiced. It won't just be music (...) But alongside that, he wants to create all the small trades that would enable architecture, topography or fashion design to be celebrated in our country," said the cleric in an interview with Radio Vatican.

The initiative also aims to combat youth unemployment, we learn. "The objective is to steer young individuals away from idleness and towards meaningful employment,” Abbot Bidzanga emphasizes. He sees this conservatory as a means to empower youth, enabling them to envision a promising future with confidence. "Our goal is to encourage young people to actively contribute to the development of our country. This, in turn, will foster the growth of our Church. When everyone is engaged in meaningful work, we can strengthen our faith and express gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon us by the Lord," explains the prelate.

Pending the creation of this conservatory - which aims to be the first in the sub-region - the Archdiocese of Yaoundé has set up Académie Sainte Cécile, a music school that is already training young people. Académie Sainte Cécile is a unique musical institute for singers and instrumentalists. "In just a few months, we've already organized six concerts and two masses at St. Peter's Basilica (in Rome, editor's note), where we led the papal mass. So, it keeps the youngsters busy, it puts them in the spotlight, and, above all, it ensures that everyone is recognized for their God-given talent. So we hope that all this will enable young people to get off the beaten track and get the country moving at all levels, according to the possibilities and talents of each individual," he says.

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