As part of the activities to celebrate the International Peace Day (IPD), students in primary and secondary schools around the country were yesterday lectured on the importance of peace.

The lesson titled ‘make peace happen’ was aimed at creating a culture of peace among the youth.

During the one hour lesson, the students were also taught about the importance of having peace in the country and its impact in the development process of Africa as a whole.
Speaking to The New Times, the Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Information, Flavia Salafina, said that they found it paramount to take the lesson in schools because young people are the future.

"The youth are the genesis of peace and the hope for the future,” said Salafina adding that wars and instabilities could be minimal if the youth understand the essence of peace.

"In all activities that disrupt the peace of any society, the youth play the biggest role, so they need to fully understand what peace is, and to fully participate in preserving it.

The lesson given in schools looked, at among other things, how wars and instabilities have caused suffering to numerous countries and how it has made some to lag behind both economically and socially.

The UN along with a number of NGOs around the world, have chosen the theme Youth, Peace and Development for this year’s observance of the International Day of Peace.

The concept behind this is to connect the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s and the UN International Year of Youth with the International Day of Peace.  The MDGs are based upon the premise that development must be for peace.

In his message on the IPD, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: "We recognise two truths: Only in a peaceful environment will young people realize their full potential – and young people have the potential to start building that peaceful world today. 

I urge young people to plan projects that can help create the conditions for peace in their communities, in their schools, in their countries. We need your voice and commitment, and we will share your stories with the world”.

Several other activities have been organised to commemorate this day around the country among these include; special communal work, TV and Radio peace documentaries and public lectures.

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