Youth encouraged to be agents of peace in society
PROMOTING PEACE: Young people sign an International Peace Youth Group letter to the president at the youth summit held at the Artscape. THE International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) spoke at the Artscape Youth Summit lead by the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation and said young people need to be change drivers and promote a culture of peace.
IPYG representative Chipo Magombo spoke at the summit about the power of being a peace messenger in addressing issues which hinder the development of society.
Magombo said peacemakers aim to heal the crime and safety aspects in communities which caused the rot in society.
“Imagine war suddenly breaks out right here in this room. An atomic bomb drops and we are in danger, and this does not end in a day but continues on for days, weeks, months.
“Where will your source of hope come from? This is what some of our brothers and sisters in other African countries are facing today.
“We as the youth have to think of ways to encourage unity, peaceful conflict resolution and peaceful coexistence.
“We have to proactively assist the current actions and continue to develop the efforts for peace.”
Magombo said we need to understand how to address the root causes of crime within different communities.
Magombo said that as peace agents the IPYG want to encourage youth to work towards the restoration of humanity through a new culture of peace, as it’s the duty of youth to ensure society will start healing from issues of crime and violence.
Magombo said peace messengers are superheroes who save lives through mediating disputes, changing thinking patterns and raising awareness on the negative impact of wars, violence and conflict.
Magombo added that peace messengers also think about sustainable solutions for systemic problems faced by the African community.
“Apart from war and conflict, the African community today faces challenges such as poverty, inequality and unemployment.
“We think about how we can use peace as a tool for development and social change.
“Through hosting dialogues, we create platforms where people can express themselves, build or repair relationships, share ideas and ultimately collaborate for the greater good.
“You don’t need a degree or special talent to be a peace messenger, as long as you have heart and a genuine desire to see your environment, community or society transform through a culture of peace.”
To find out more about the IPYG, see IPYG.org.