By Augustine Bamie Anthony, MOICE

Freetown, 22nd September 2026- As His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio leads Sierra Leone’s delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Government is taking something equally important to the United States: the national conversation.

On 24 September 2026, the Civic Day USA Edition will bring together an exceptional cross-section of Sierra Leone’s leadership and Sierra Leoneans in New York, creating a direct platform for dialogue on governance, development, public services, opportunity and the country’s future. It is more than a side event—it is an expression of a growing culture of openness in which citizens can engage directly with those responsible for shaping and delivering national policies.

At the heart of this expanding conversation is the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, under the leadership of Hon. Chernor Bah. The Ministry has increasingly positioned public communication as more than the dissemination of information, creating opportunities where citizens can listen, question, respond and participate.

The Civic Day Series has become a powerful expression of this approach, bringing government closer to citizens at home and now extending that engagement to Sierra Leoneans abroad. In an age of rapid information flows, misinformation and competing narratives, creating trusted spaces for direct conversation between government and citizens has become increasingly important.

The recently concluded Civic Day London Edition, featuring Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, demonstrated the value of taking this conversation to the diaspora. The London engagement provided Sierra Leoneans with an opportunity to hear directly from senior government officials and raise questions around national development. New York now takes that conversation to another level, recognising that Sierra Leoneans living abroad remain an important part of the country’s development story.

A Star-Studded Panel of National Expertise

What makes the New York edition particularly compelling is its star-studded panel of senior government officials, representing virtually every major pillar of Sierra Leone’s development agenda. The panel brings together Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mohamed Rahman Swaray; Minister of Finance Karefa Kargbo; Minister of Planning and Economic Development Kenyeh Barlay; Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay; Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation Salima Monorma Bah; Minister of Technical and Higher Education Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie; Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jiwoh Abdulai; Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs Dr. Isata Mahoi; Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby; Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security Umaru Napoleon Koroma; Minister of Social Welfare Melrose Karminty; Minister of Energy Dr. Cyril Arnold Grant; Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Princess Dugba; Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education Conrad Sackey; and Minister of Youth Affairs Ibrahim Sannoh.

The value of such a panel lies not simply in the number of ministers on stage, but in the wealth and diversity of information they collectively bring to the conversation. Participants will have access to perspectives on the economy and public finances; national planning and investment; diplomacy and international cooperation; justice and governance; digital transformation and innovation; education and skills development; healthcare; employment and social protection; energy; environmental sustainability; fisheries and the blue economy; gender and children’s affairs; and opportunities for young people.

For Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora, this creates a rare opportunity to obtain information directly from the policymakers responsible for these sectors, rather than relying solely on secondary reports, social media commentary or fragmented information.

The importance of this conversation goes beyond explaining government programmes. Civic engagement builds understanding, strengthens accountability and gives citizens a voice in the development process. It allows government to communicate its priorities while simultaneously hearing the concerns, expectations and experiences of its people.

This two-way approach is central to the Civic Day philosophy championed by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education under Minister Chernor Bah. It is about creating a public space where information flows in both directions—from government to citizens and from citizens back to government.

Civic Day USA is therefore not simply another event in New York; it is the continuation of a national conversation that is steadily becoming global. From communities across Sierra Leone, to London and now New York, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education is helping to create platforms where Sierra Leoneans can connect directly with their government, access credible information and participate in discussions about the nation’s future.

As Sierra Leone takes its place on the global stage at UNGA 81, the Civic Day Series ensures that the people themselves—at home and abroad—remain at the heart of the story. From Freetown to London, from London to New York, the national conversation continues.

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