In an attempt to empower worried parents and educate Somali youth, a local cultural society is holding a weeklong healing conference beginning today.
Experts of Somali descent are gathering to lead sessions on topics ranging from education to leadership to family, said Mohamed Abdi, spokesman for the Somali-Canadian Cultural Society of Edmonton.
"The community is scattered throughout the city, so we've decided to bring them together so they can talk and find solutions to their problems," Abdi said. "Many parents are having problems with their children."
In the wake of local slayings of six young Somali men in less than a year -- the most recent being 20-year-old Mohamed Farah Khalif who was gunned down in April -- parents are concerned about what the future may hold for some of their children. School dropout rates are also a concern and there is a fear of losing more youth to gangs, Abdi explained.
"The thing is to talk to the community, give them techniques which they can apply for bringing up their children effectively," Abdi said.
As many observers in the community have pointed out, even if Somali youth are born in Canada, if their parents were newcomers and don't speak English well, they can get stuck working several low-paying jobs to survive. Their children, meanwhile, sometimes don't have support at home and that can lead to instability.
"(The community) sees youth as the future. If they bring up their children effectively and they're successful, their dreams come true," Abdi said. He hopes a soccer tournament and other reactional activities will draw young people to the lectures.
In total, Abdi's expecting 2,000 people to attend sessions set to run each day at the African Centre, 13160 127 St. Everyone is welcome.
The healing week coincides with Somalia's Independence week.
Source: EdmontonSun
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