The Northern Bahr el Ghazal State government, in collaboration with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan(UNMISS), on Wednesday concluded a two-day peacebuilding workshop for youth at the South Sudan Hotel in Aweil town.
The workshop aimed at uniting all the youth, despite their various political and religious affiliations, across the state and to establish county youth networks that can handle issues affecting the youth.
Fifty-five participants were commissioned by the state ministry of culture, youth, and sports to preach about the revitalized peace agreement and unity among local communities within the state.
Zachariah Alich, a young man, told Radio Tamazuj soon after the closing ceremony that he will pass the peace messages to his communities in Aweil West County.
He said: “Yes, what I learned in these two days is the key messages for peace and when I go back I have to spread peace messages to the communities. Well, I will go where youth are gathered and pass the information I learned from the workshop.”
Another participant, Achat Barnaba Nyok, who hails from Aweil Center County, said she learned enough skills on the role of youth in peacebuilding. She urged all youth across the state to avoid politics and criminal behavior.
“I have spent two days in this workshop and we understood a lot on how the youth contribute to peacebuilding. My message to my fellow youth outside there is that we have a great role to play in bringing peace in our country and we need to distance ourselves from political and criminal activities,’’ Nyok said.
Deng Wek Wek, the state minister of culture, youth, and sports said, “First of all, I want to appreciate partners to the peace agreement and I also thank the government of national unity for giving freedom to youth to find ways of how their challenges are addressed. This workshop is for all youth in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal and its aims are empowering youth contribution to the peace agreement and to establish youth networks at county and state levels.’’
For her part, the Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State acting UNMISS head of field office, Inecita Montero, said UNMISS is supporting the initiative so that the youth will be able to mediate conflicts, promote social cohesion and peaceful coexistence in the state.
“This workshop is intended to build the capacity of youth in conflict mediation, promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence in their respective communities. But there is another important aim and that is to support the newly instituted ministry of culture, youth, and sports in its efforts to establish youth peace networks across Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State,’’ Montero said.