Regional/Cultural Day
Journee Nationale de la Jeunesse
Niger has the youngest population in the world : a median age of 15.4 years, with over 50% of the population under 15. National Youth Day is an attempt to address the challenges of this demographic: unemployment, lack of education (the literacy rate is 35%), and the risk of radicalization. The day is observed with sports competitions, cultural events, and speeches by government officials. In Niamey, the youth organizations march along the Avenue de la Republique, and the signs demand: "More schools, more jobs, more hope." The day is both celebration and demand, because the youth of Niger are the future of the country, and the future is uncertain.
