George Shadrack Kamanda, Diplomatic and Legal Adviser at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, had the honor of sitting down with President Julius Maada Bio. The meeting took place a day after one of Sierra Leone’s key events during its August Presidency of the UN Security Council, which was chaired by President Bio himself.
During the meeting, Kamanda presented President Bio with a signed copy of his book, which focuses on civic education, citizenship, and the engagement of young people in nation-building and governance in Sierra Leone.
President Bio expressed his appreciation for the book, stating, “Mr. Kamanda, I’ve read your book before, and I welcome the ideas and proposals for advancing effective citizenship in Sierra Leone.”
Kamanda, reflecting on the encounter, shared his feelings of humility and honor at the President’s kind words. He recalled his journey from humble beginnings on Kissy Road, Freetown, to representing Sierra Leone at the United Nations in New York.
The meeting underscored the importance of civic education and youth engagement in the ongoing development and governance of Sierra Leone.
This interaction highlights the continued efforts of Sierra Leone’s leadership to foster effective citizenship and involve young people in the country’s governance, aiming to build a more engaged and informed populace.
George Shadrack Kamanda is a diplomatic and legal affairs expert at the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations. He graduated in February 2023 with a Master of Studies degree in diplomatic studies from the University of Oxford and he graduated in May 2022 with a JD from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he was a Vattel International Law Scholar and a Klatsky Human Rights Fellow.
In October 2020, Kamanda published his third book, Citizenship Reimagined: The Case for Responsible Whole Citizenry in Sierra Leone. In May 2021, he was awarded the Wong Moss Outstanding Alumni Award and selected to give the commencement address at his alma mater, Delaware County Community College. He was chosen as a Law Fellow for the Fellowship at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics in 2021. Before law school, Kamanda presented research at the United Nations in New York, worked at the European Parliament in Brussels as a diplomatic trainee, and interned at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
He is also the founder of the Necessity Firm, a citizenship firm based in Sierra Leone, focused promoting civic education at the intersection of character education, citizenship, mentorship, and advocacy and also recently worked as Judicial Law Fellow and Law Clerk at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
He enjoys traveling, cooking, watching the English Premier League, and reading foreign affairs and politics books.