The Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MOICE) will host a two-day Civic Festival dubbed the Salone Civic Festival.

It will be organized between 11th and 12th of December 2024, at the Front Lawn of the Youyi Building in Freetown.

The  unprecedented event seeks to bring the government closer to the people by creating a platform for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) including the Offices of the President, Vice President, First Lady and Chief Minister, to interface with citizens on the status of the government’s Big Five agenda over the past one year.

At the center of the civic festival is the launch of the Civic Education Strategy which has six pillars as follows: Love Salone, Feed Salone, Clean Salone, Heal Salone, Digitize Salone and Salone For We All. The Civic Education Strategy is a blueprint meant to enhance a responsible and productive citizenship in Sierra Leone.

It will be marked with panel discussions, exhibitions, public engagements and cultural displays. The festival will engender national unity, civic pride and active citizenship. Citizens will directly engage authorities of government ministries in their respective booths who will be responding to their questions and provide other vital information pertaining to the implementation of the government’s Big Five agenda.

The civic festival is expected to promote cultural pride, heritage and unity through music, art, film and fashion, among others, and it is hoped to entreat citizens to actively participate in national development while supporting the Civic Education Strategy’s goals.

The Ministry of Information and Civic Education will use the occasion to unveil its “new website” as well as those of other ministries in an effort to increase public access to government essential information on civics.

They will know aspects of government promises which have been met while presentations at the event will spotlight Sierra Leone’s key achievements, particularly in mining, local content development, infrastructure, agriculture, digital transformation, etc.

A massive outdoor stage will be erected to host continuous live entertainment activities like music, poetry, fashion, exhibitions, cultural displays  throughout during the two days.

They are meant to electrify the atmosphere in a celebratory mood.

The presentations and discussions by authorities is strictly by invitation while the outdoor activities are free for everyone to witness.

Also, there will be live coverage of the event, allowing a wider audience to experience the celebrations virtually. A dedicated media team will manage interviews, live social media updates, and press releases.

The targeted audiences include youth, media practitioners, artists and filmmakers, government officials and the general public.

Various ministries will present their work, empower citizens to understand, appreciate and support national progress under the Civic Education Strategy.

By creating a platform for transparent, cultural celebration, and active participation, the civic festival will mark the beginning of a new era of civic responsibility and unity in Sierra Leone.

The Salone Civic Festival will go a long way in bridging the communications gap between government and citizens of Sierra Leone.