First Lady Margaret Kenyatta on Thursday cautioned modern parents against making the grave mistake of imposing careers on their children.
Margaret indicated that the youth should be allowed the freedom to pursue their talents, especially in the creative arts.
She further observed that millennials (adolescents reaching adulthood in the early 21st century) no longer subscribe to the conventional thinking that certain disciplines such as law, engineering, medicine and teaching make great careers.
"Many times, we have imposed careers on our children; we have pushed them to consider becoming engineers, lawyers, doctors or teachers – anything that, to us, has spelt decent employment.
"Our youth want to earn a living quite differently. They want to pursue their passion and I urge us not to fight them," the First Lady remarked.
Addressing the inaugural Arts and Financing Conference at a Nairobi hotel, Margaret indicated that as an investment, art has the potential of becoming a major contributor to the country’s economic development.
The two-day conference under the theme, "Art and sports as a viable and sustainable investment" and brings together stakeholders in the arts industry covering painters, writers, musicians, dancers, DJs, and sculptors.
The conference also brings on-board stakeholders from the finance industry including representatives from the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).
Cautioning parents against being apprehensive about the viability of the creative arts as an economic pursuit, Margaret indicated that arts are a major contributor in providing direct jobs to the youth.
"We are here to affirm the potential of the creative sector as an important source of development," she stated.
She equally indicated that creative arts empower communities by changing the way we view the world hence has a real and lasting meaning beyond the money it earns.
"I encourage our robust private sector to invest in the creative sector, to invest in our youth to help them build robust and sustainable business cases," she concluded.
The First Lady was flanked by CS Amina Mohamed (Education), Josephta Oyiela Mukobethe (PS Culture and Heritage) and Roy Gitahi (CEO and Founder the Art and Work).
