In its 30th year of operation, the United Youth Congress will hold its eighth convention on Apr. 19–23, 2006, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. Themed "No More Chains," this Congress will provide its participants a unique learning experience through leadership development and education that many will cherish.

"The purpose for the United Youth Congress is to increase awareness of the needs of youth within our community and to equip them with the tools to break the shackles that stifle their potential," said Claude Harris II, chairperson of Black Adventist Youth Directors Association (BAYDA), the parent organization of the United Youth Congress, and director of youth ministries for the Allegheny East Conference.

Topics for workshops will include: single parenting, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS awareness, employment, family and spiritual decline, gangs, homelessness, community and financial empowerment, and sexual promiscuity, just to name a few. Other events will include an oratorical contest, drum corps and drill team exhibition, health fair rally, youth parade, and Bible Bowl. In addition to the planned "fun" activities, attendees will participate in community service projects in the greater Atlanta community. "Service teaches kids life skills," said Roger Wade, BAYDA program director. "This is needed more and more in our kids today," he said.

Each evening, attendees will experience powerful presentations of "spiritual vitamins" from various ministers across the United States. Speakers will include James Black, North American Division (NAD) youth ministries director; Jeannine Reid, Greater Atlanta Adventist Academy Bible teacher; Jose Rojas, NAD volunteer ministries director; Carlton "Buddy" Bird, Bellfort (Texas) Seventh-day Adventist Church pastor; and Paula Olivier, associate pastor of the Church of the Oranges in Orange, N.J. Additional speaker information is available at website: www.unitedyouthcongress.org/workshops.asp.

BAYDA's mission is to promote the spiritual, physical, academic, moral, and cultural development of the NAD youth. BAYDA's members include youth leaders of the NAD regional conferences as well as youth leaders in Southern, Southeastern, Central, Northern California, North Pacific Union, Bermuda, and Ontario conferences.

For registration information for the United Youth Congress in Atlanta, please visit website: www.unitedyouthcongress.org/register.asp.

George Johnson Jr., media relations director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America. George has attended these Youth congresses since 1993.