Women Environmental Programme (WEP) celebrates International Day of Peace 2021
Women Environmental Programme on Tuesday 21st September, 2021 celebrated the International Day of Peace 2021 in Makurdi the Benue State capital. The UN General Assembly declared 21st September as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. As the world heals from the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s theme was “Recovering better for an Equitable and Sustainable World”.
Activities for this year’s event commenced on Monday the 20th September, 2021 with a radio appearance at Brothers 90.5 FM Makurdi where staff from the organization led by the Executive Director Ms. Anne-Marie Abaagu discussed the importance of peace and what individuals can do in their spaces to promote and support the ideals of peace. Listeners were also informed about the activities of the organization in the state on her PVE intervention in the state aimed at strengthening the resilience of communities against the recruitment and radicalization of community members into Violent Extremism including the Peace Rally organized annually to mark the International Day of Peace in the state.
The day was marked with a Peace Rally which commenced with a procession of youth drawn from various youth groups and organizations from the 23 local government areas of the state. The procession began from the gate of the IBB Square in Makurdi through the metropolis to the Benue Hotel and Resorts. In a welcome remark, the Programme Manager, Cliff Gai welcomed participants and explained that the Rally which was an annual event had to be suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and urged participants to obey the security agents who were around to ensure that the Rally was hitch free.
At the Benue Hotel and resorts, Mr Cliff Gai briefed the participants on the significance of the International Day of Peace, the Peace and the need for young people to embrace peace as a virtue and lifestyle, promote tolerance and contribute to peace building as they interact with one another in their various spaces. In his Pep Talk titled ‘’Youth, Two Questions and Recovery,’ he urged the youth in the state to carefully meditate on and answer two fundamental questions, Who am I? and What do I want? Stressing that the answers to those questions will enable young people to create an identity and develop a sense of purpose for themselves and once that was done, they would see every other thing as a distraction and avoid them thus becoming stellar citizens of the state. He pointed out that for the society to be peaceful, the individuals and families which are the building blocks of society would first and foremost have to find, promote and sustain peace in themselves.
Participants expressed their willingness and commitment to the ideals of peace and peace building in their communities while appreciating Women Environmental Programme for the organization’s work in the state and for availing them the opportunity to meet, interact and connect with one another during this important day.
Others at the Rally included Security Agencies, the Red Cross, Girls Brigade, journalists, persons with special needs, NGOs, CSOs, CBOs, FBOs as well as the Speaker and members of the Benue state Youth Parliament.
This Peace Rally is fully supported and funded by Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).
