South Sudan Olympians say “being a refugee is only a status”

Five runners who fled South Sudan have been given the chance to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as refugees. A total of 10 refugees from various countries have been competing in the ground-breaking team and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says they represent an international symbol of hope to millions worldwide. The African refugee Olympians have been a powerful inspiration to refugees from the continent living in the Brazilian city hosting the games. On Thursday, refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo went to cheer on their compatriots competing in the Judo event for the first time. Laura Jarriel has the background to the story.

Insecurity and urbanization threaten World Heritage Site in Mali

Ongoing conflict in Mali is threatening one of the oldest towns in sub-Saharan Africa, the UN cultural agency, UNESCO, has warned. The old towns of Djenné have been placed on the list of World Heritage in Danger. The four archaeological sites, which include a mosque, are almost entirely made of earth. Edmond Moukala is chief of the Africa Unit at UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre. Dianne Penn asked him about the historical significance of the site.

Youth hold the “future of Africa” in their hands

Young people are the ones who hold the “future of Africa” in their hands. That’s according to Sammy Musungu, from Kenya, one of the winners of a multilingual essay contest who came to UN Headquarters in July to attend a global youth forum. Mr Musungu, who wrote his essay in Spanish, is currently living and studying in Venezuela, and is in his sixth year of medical school. Friday marks International Youth Day 2016, which highlights the role young people can play in ending poverty and achieving sustainable development. Deganit Perez asked Mr Musungu how his international background influenced his life and his world view.

Presenter: Matthew Wells

Production Assistant: Sandra Guy

Duration: 10'00″