I had the privilege of being among the representatives of the Bloggers Association of Chad (ABT) at the Cameroon Bloggers Summit following an invitation from the Bloggers Association of Cameroon (ABC).
Chadian bloggers with Simon Decreuze. Photo credit: Mahamat Alhadj Ali
The context
After three previous editions organized by theAssociation of Bloggers of Cameroon, in particular in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and following the international symposium on online media, organized in 2022, which resulted in the development of a charter of good conduct in cyberspace, here comes the fourth edition of the Cameroon Bloggers Summit. This latest edition placed under the theme: “ Freedom of expression and the impact of bloggers in cultural policies and communications » was held from June 26 to 30, 2023 at the French Institute of Yaoundé after a formal promise from the Director of the said institute, Mr. Yann Lorvo at the opening of the last colloquium.
Thing promised, thing done. For five days, with the presence of several national bloggers, the Chad Bloggers Association, a team from Radio France Internationale (RFI) including Simon Decreuze, Steven Jambon and Estelle Ndjando; the training courses, workshops, masterclasses, public broadcasts of Radio France Internationale… have taken the French Institute of Yaoundé by storm.
Summit opening ceremony. Photo credit: Mahamat Alhadj Ali
The main lines
From the first day after the opening ceremony until the fourth day, there was no shortage of training and masterclasses on factchecking, podcasts, hate speech (Hatepeech), creating and running blogs.
Podcast training. Photo credit: Mahamat Alhadj Ali
Also, some vloggers and WebTV have paid tribute to Marc Viven Foe, this Cameroonian footballer who collapsed twenty years ago on the field during a semi-final match of the Confederations Cup.
In addition, the fight against pollution and the protection of the environment were also at the rendezvous. Workshops for creating works of art from recycled objects systematically impressed the audience.
The fourth edition of the Cameroon bloggers was really marked by the intervention of an RFI team which produced a public broadcast with the theme: Ethics of social networks: All content producers therefore all responsible and which will pass in the days to come on the said radio.
RFI media workshops. Photo credit: Mahamat Alhadj Ali Mahamat
The fifth and last day of the summit was devoted to the third edition of “ABC BLOG AWARDS” which crowned some Cameroonian bloggers who produced the best articles on health, children, peace, society, art and culture, the promotion and emancipation of women, Cameroonian cuisine and biodiversity.
A new vision of blogging
My participation in the Cameroon Bloggers Summit gave me a new vision of blogging. The five days spent alongside Cameroonian bloggers taught me above all that blogging has no borders. We are all those young people with the great desire to impact and share with the world our beautiful little stories and experiences.
I had to rub shoulders with eminent personalities of blogging who dropped in me a great enthusiasm to continue blogging and to make my pen even better. From now on, I am able to nuance a blogger from a journalist and an influencer.
Taking part in the fourth summit of bloggers in Cameroon allowed us, members of the young association of bloggers in Chad, to expand our network, to be inspired and to have guidelines for the development of the Chadian blogosphere.