Gonet CEO Is International Youth Day Keynote Speaker
—MYS Selects Education and Innovation Advocate to Deliver National Address
In a move that underscores the growing influence of the country’s emerging generation of development leaders, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has named Gonet Academy Chief Empowerment Officer (CEO) Mohammed Kerkulah as the keynote speaker for this year’s International Youth Day (IYD) 2026 celebration. This selection entrusts Kerkulah with one of the country’s most prominent youth platforms at a time when digital innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development are increasingly viewed as central to Liberia’s future.
The invitation, signed by Youth and Sports Minister Atty. Cllr. W. K. Kruah, positions Kerkulah at the center of this year’s national observance, which will be held on August 12, 2026, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex under the global theme: “Unified Knowledge, Shared Futures: Liberians Innovating through Digital Partnerships.”
According to the Ministry, Kerkulah’s address is expected to reflect the continuing partnership between the government and the United Nations in advancing youth development while helping set the tone for the day’s proceedings, including the official relaunch of the YouthConnekt Liberia Chapter, a flagship initiative designed to connect young people with opportunities in entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development and employment.
The invitation represents more than a ceremonial assignment. It signals growing national recognition of Kerkulah’s work in professional education, youth empowerment and workforce development through Gonet Academy—an institution that has rapidly expanded its footprint by equipping thousands of Liberians with practical and career-oriented skills.
International Youth Day has increasingly evolved beyond an annual celebration into a platform for shaping public policy discussions around employment, education, innovation and digital transformation.
This year’s theme mirrors both the country’s national development aspirations and the United Nations’ broader emphasis on harnessing technology and partnerships to create opportunities for young people.
By selecting an education entrepreneur rather than a career politician or senior government official to deliver the keynote address, the Ministry appears to be sending a broader message about the role that private institutions, innovation hubs and youth-focused organizations can play in national development.
The choice also reflects a growing appreciation that solving youth unemployment challenges requires collaboration between government, educational institutions, development partners and the private sector.
The invitation also marks a notable milestone in Kerkulah’s professional journey.
Just one year ago, he participated in the 2025 International Youth Day Celebration as one of the four panelists during discussions on youth entrepreneurship and innovation.
During that forum, he joined other young innovators to discuss practical strategies for supporting entrepreneurship among Liberian youth.
Drawing from Gonet Academy’s experience, Kerkulah highlighted the institution’s achievements in training thousands of Liberian professionals, noting that many participants had secured employment, promotions, internships or established businesses following their training.
He also emphasized the role of technology in extending professional education to learners across the country while calling for stronger partnerships between government, development partners and grassroots institutions.
One year later, the Ministry has elevated Kerkulah from panelist to keynote speaker—a progression that many see as recognition of both his leadership and the expanding influence of Gonet Academy in the country’s professional development landscape.
A Different Kind of Keynote
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Kerkulah’s appointment is not the invitation itself but his response to it.
Rather than immediately drafting a traditional keynote address, the Gonet Academy CEO turned to the public.
In a nationwide appeal shared through social media, Kerkulah invited young Liberians to help shape his speech by contributing ideas, experiences and recommendations.
“I don’t want it to be my speech alone—I want it to reflect the voices, dreams, ideas and realities of young Liberians,” he wrote.
He asked young people to identify the country’s biggest challenges facing youth, the opportunities they believe deserve greater investment, the skills needed for future success, the role government and the private sector should play, and the policies they would implement if given the opportunity to lead.
He also encouraged them to share personal stories, innovative ideas and recommendations for strengthening YouthConnekt Liberia.
Kerkulah indicated that some responses could be anonymously referenced during his keynote address to ensure that the presentation genuinely reflects the aspirations of Liberian youth.
The Gonet CEO’s decision to crowdsource ideas before addressing the nation represents a departure from the traditional top-down style of public speaking often associated with high-profile national events.
Instead of positioning himself as the sole source of ideas, he has chosen to become a convener of national conversations.
In leadership theory, this approach aligns with participatory and servant leadership, where influence is built not merely by speaking but by listening.
By inviting public contributions before stepping onto the national stage, Kerkulah appears to be framing the keynote less as a personal address and more as a platform for collective expression.
Such an approach carries symbolic significance in a country where young people frequently express frustration that national policies are developed without sufficient consultation.
Rather than speaking to Liberian youth, Kerkulah is attempting to speak with them.
That distinction could prove meaningful.
If reflected in his final address, the keynote would represent not merely one leader’s perspective but a synthesis of ideas gathered from young Liberians themselves.
Kerkulah’s professional journey has largely centered on one proposition—that skills development is among the country’s most effective tools for reducing unemployment and expanding economic opportunity.
Through Gonet Academy, he has championed professional training in leadership, project management, digital productivity, monitoring and evaluation, entrepreneurship, communication, procurement and other workforce competencies increasingly demanded in today’s labor market.
The Academy has also expanded hybrid and digital learning opportunities, enabling professionals in counties outside Monrovia to participate in training without relocating.
That emphasis closely aligns with this year’s International Youth Day theme, which places digital partnerships and knowledge-sharing at the heart of youth empowerment.
Why the Speech Matters
The keynote comes as Liberia continues to confront persistent youth unemployment, skills mismatches, limited access to financing for entrepreneurs and uneven digital infrastructure.
According to international development assessments, young people remain one of the country’s greatest demographic assets—but also among its greatest development challenges if opportunities are not expanded.
The relaunch of YouthConnekt Liberia reflects government efforts, supported by international partners, to bridge that gap by connecting youth with entrepreneurship, innovation, mentorship, financing and digital opportunities.
In that context, Kerkulah’s keynote is expected to extend beyond ceremonial remarks.
Many anticipate that it will offer practical recommendations for strengthening youth participation in national development while highlighting the importance of partnerships among government, educational institutions, development agencies and the private sector.
The Ministry’s decision to entrust one of the largest national youth events to a young education entrepreneur also sends a broader institutional message.
It reflects an emerging recognition that national leadership increasingly extends beyond politics into education, innovation, entrepreneurship and civic engagement.
The appointment, for many Liberian youths, serves as evidence that sustained investment in community impact can translate into national influence.
As preparations continue for International Youth Day, attention now turns to what may become one of the year’s most closely watched youth policy addresses.
If Kerkulah fulfills his intention of incorporating the voices of ordinary Liberians into the keynote, the speech could become more than an address—it could serve as a national conversation on the future of Liberian youth.
And perhaps that is the strongest message behind the invitation itself—that leadership is not measured only by the ability to inspire from a podium, but also by the willingness to listen before speaking.
