Houet: A total of 8,870 young high school graduates completed their month of compulsory patriotic immersion during a ceremony presided over by the governor of the Guiriko region, Mariama Konate/Gnanou, at the Wobi stadium.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the conscripts were spread across fourteen centers, including thirteen in Bobo-Dioulasso and one in Orodara, where they were introduced to the values of discipline, solidarity, respect, and living together over the course of thirty days. The program aimed to strengthen their sense of civic duty and attachment to their homeland.
The representative of the young graduates delivered a message of gratitude on behalf of his classmates, paying tribute to the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) for their commitment, guidance, and support throughout the immersion program. The graduates also praised the dedication of the women responsible for their daily meals. The message concluded with a quote from Victor Hugo: "A child you train is a man you win."
In her address, Governor Konate/Gnanou expressed hope that the experience would mark a turning point in the participants' lives. "This is the beginning of a daily commitment. What you have learned will now guide your behavior, your choices, and your actions. You are on a mission to be role models and sources of inspiration in your neighborhoods, your training centers, your universities, and wherever you may be," she said.
Ms. Konate/Gnanou thanked all those involved in the success of the initiative and reminded the graduates that they are now ambassadors of civic duty and patriotism. "You must embody the new Burkinabe, the one for whom the homeland comes before everything and before themselves. Bravo and congratulations to all," she concluded.