A coordinated efforts by a group of young enthusiastic Ghanaians in the Italian city, Reggio Emilia, has brought unto the news stand a new magazine – GREAT AMBITION MAGAZINE.
In launching the new journal at Latter Glory Church in the city, a good number of youths, pastors and leaders of Africans communities were among the audience that poured in to welcome their innovative idea - the first within the African youths in Italy.
The magazine with pages in English and Italian will feature stories on religious matters -gospel teachings, weddings, dedications and other church programmes - articles, interviews, news and laws on immigration in Italy as well as deal with questions and answers about the youths on relations, their contribution towards society and development.
The editorial board of the journal, in its second edition and to be published (for now) every 3 months, has Ernest Opoku Mensah as the Editor and Eric Yeboah as the Associate Editor. Other members of the writing staff are: Bismark Arthur, Yaa Adowaa Appiah, Portia Wiafe and Madrick Adjei with Alex Nsiah and Prince Wiafe as graphic designers whilst Patrick Adjei takes the job of photo journalist. The team will also fall on the services of Eric Twumasi Ankrah as its adviser. At the event of the launching, marked with gospel songs, there was financial support from the participants who contributed in a fundraising to enable the ambition of the group to be fully realised. Giving the short history and purpose of the magazine, Eric Yeboah, who is also the Vice President of the group recalled: “Great Ambition Magazine (GAM) sprang from a vision of our President, Ernest Opoku Mensah, in 2009. There are some questions some youths may feel shy or embarrassed to ask their parents and by sending those questions to elderly people, anonymously or subscribed, the answers given could help others who are probably facing the same problems. The main objective was then to unite, advise and encourage our fellow youth.” He told the audience the team decided to have a spiritual father and chose Eric Twumasi Ankrah whose contribution has so far been encouraging being there for them like a faithful father to his children.” The Associate Editor also mentioned in his presentation the first edition of the magazine was warmly received and all copies were sold without much publicity. “After 3 months of hard work, we have reached the extent of publishing the second edition of ‘GREAT AMBITION MAGAZINE’ and Glory be to God,” he said. “It is a dynamic magazine dedicated to the youth of our generation worldwide to achieve a specific goal with possible outcome that can drive the growth and expansion of our future. Its purpose also is to challenge the young ones to be embedded rightly in their field of interest and explore their future potentials at the appropriate time,” he added.
He also pointed out the magazine is to connect and unite the youth together as one body in Christ and learn from one another so as to experience the power to embrace the spirit of growth in a dynamic way.
He mentioned in the concluding part of his remarks that the youth can learn from one another through writing of articles, poems, sharing of testimonies, encouragement, advice and many others and called all who are capable of writing on such issues to participate in sending them to the magazine through the e-mail address: info@greatambitionmagazine.com. In an opening remarks the Chairman of the event, Joseph Walker (a Trade Unionist in the city Reggio Emilia) told the audience the first time he heard about the magazine he was moved to help bring the novelty idea to success. “What made people behind the idea of Google, Facebook and Microsoft was, they worked as a team and with a ‘culture of honesty’ and will call on you to do the same,” he told the Editorial Board of the magazine. He praised their commitment as youths coming from different religious denominations and working together to bring their dreams to reality. “They have set a pace and this gives me the impression their generation can think positively”, he told the audience.
The day’s ceremony went with some words of exhortation as a youth from the Pentecost Church in the city of Parma, Frank Frimpong, gave a short sermon. He reminded the audience to be self disciplined saying self discipline is subject to a code of conduct and the youths whose ideas and hard work has brought about the magazine should not abandon their vision otherwise it will be aborted. “Let your motive motivate you, otherwise you will be stuck and press on your goals keeping focus”, he said, enjoining them also to subdue their flesh and undertake spiritual exercise in fasting and prayer. He finally told them if they abandon the gospel they will be fed with lies. -