By: Sampson David
Monrovia-Liberia, A local organization under the banner, Kids Educational Engagement Projects (KEEP) in partnership with Youth Peace Club Association and Duport Youth has climaxed the celebration of International Peace Day.
The day was celebrated in three local communities including Duport Road, Arthington, Millsburg, and Goba Town in Todee District, Montserrado County.
This year’s international Peace Day was celebrated under the theme: “recovering from better for an equitable and sustainable world,”. KEEP-Liberia International Peace Day activities were held with support from Oxfam and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
September 21 is set aside each year by the UN General Assembly to be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, but it was celebrated for three days in Liberia by KEEP.
Earlier on Tuesday, September 21, KEEP and the Duport Road Youth staged the first program which brought together hundreds of youth from nearby communities.
The program was marred by dramas, inspirational songs and poems. It was followed by football and kickball matches among the participants.
Making remarks Tuesday at the ceremony, the Executive Director of Kids Education Engagement Project, Brenda Moore, urged young people to venture in activities that will bring pride to their generation.
Executive Director of KEEP – Brenda Moore
She added that young people will only contribute to the growth and development of the nation if they take advantage of opportunities around them.
“The opportunities that have been made available to you and the energy you have to move around don’t take it for granted – don’t allow people to use you for their selfish gains,” Moore asserted.
The keynote speaker on Tuesday, a resident of Duport Road Attorney Michael Thomas, admonished young people to be focused and steadfast in their daily activities.
Attorney Thomas called on the government to ensure that young people are provided technical vocational skills to brighten their future.
KEEP and other youth groups in Arthington and Millsburg across the St. Paul River staged another elaborate program on Wednesday in commemoration of the day.
The celebration in that community saw the attendance of jubilant youths; women and men with the sole purpose of ensuring that peace reigns in Liberia.
Serving as keynote speaker at the program Wednesday, the commissioner of Millsburg Township, Gordon L. Cisco, made specific reference to respect, availability of jobs and integrity building as some of the ways of maintaining peace.
He called on community dwellers to co-exist and do away with vices that lead to conflict and further destruction of infrastructures.
The Township commissioner also urged young people to serve as Ambassadors of peace in their various communities.
“I am urging you to serve as an agent of peace. Let us not forget about those who are hurt, let us go back to people we wronged and apologize if we must co-exist peacefully.”
The celebration of the day was on Thursday climaxed with Youth Peace Club Association in Goba and Gbar Towns in Todee district, Montserrado County.
Speaking at the event in Todee, Liberia National Security Sector Reform Coordinator, Attorney Samuel Dakana, stressed the need for youth capacity building and infrastructure development to be prioritized.
“If Todee district or Liberia will have to be better in term of human capacity and infrastructure development, we must commence with transforming the youths.”
Attorney Dakana maintained that when young people are provided technical and vocational skills, they will contribute to the growth and development of the nation.
Attorney Dakana further said, “Peace building includes a wide range of initiatives, from mediation, protection, reintegration, trauma healing and reconciliation, through to long-term investments free from self-interest, access to governance, education, health, justice, security and livelihood.”
For her part, Kids Educational Engagement Projects (KEEP), Program Officer, Gloria Yaskey, said the celebration of the day in various communities was aimed at creating awareness among citizens on the importance of peace.
“We have a role to play. As youth, we should not be used as element to propagate chaos and conflict. We should not give ourselves as medium for conflict, but rather give ourselves as instrument to promote peace,” she said.
The day was celebrated under the theme recovering from better for an equitable and sustainable world with support from Oxfam and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
