Messenger of Peace-Liberia (MOP-Liberia), a youth-led peace advocacy group, has ended her fifth cycle of the organization’s Annual Youth Peace Summer Camp in Gbarnga, Bong County, Saturday, September 26, 2021 at the Catholic Gbarnga Archdiocese Center.
Serving as Special Guest during the event was the Swedish Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Ambassador Urban Sjostrom who remarked: “Liberia is a progressive country due to the fact that you are all moving in one accord shows how determined you are. This is the message I will carry to my people when I get home.”
Addressing participants at the Annual Youth Peace Summer Camp, Ambassador Sjostrom continued: “Young peace ambassadors, let’s follow the best humanity recipe, and that is no one is above the rule of law. I would like to say to you, peace ambassadors and colleagues join me in a world to strive for our peace.”
Liberia’s Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Isaac Doe also reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to youth development initiatives and peace-building through the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Deputy Minister Doe acknowledged that peace is not only the absence of war, but it is also the responsibility of central Government to develop youths as messengers of peace.
Speaking on behalf of the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia, Mr. Nathaniel Walker, said there can be no sustainable democracy if genuine peace doesn’t exist; that is why the ECOWAS mission opens her doors to activities of such as was initiated by the Messenger of Peace-Liberia.
The ECOWAS Mission Representative also lauded MOP-Liberia for the role they are playing with youths in peace-building across Liberia, especially with the young people.
Remarking also, the Special Representative of the Development Superintendent of Bong County, noted that since several national peace resolutions have been signed in Bong County, MOP-Liberia and others can count on the county authority for their involvement in subsequent peace programs.
For her part, as the Lead Trainer, Facilitator, Founder and Executive Director of (MOP)–Liberia Inc., Miss. Gwendolyn Myers, called on development partners and the Government of Liberia to continuously provide partnership opportunities and access to resources for youth peace-building activities across Liberia.
This year’s Youth Summer Camp was in partnership with the African Union (AU) Youth4Peace program; which was held the theme: “Digital Technology for Peace; strengthening resilience and accelerating social impact through youth political participation.”
Considering the role of digital technology in peace-building and social change, the camp featured five-pathway thematic areas: Youth in Politics and the Digital Media, Digital Technology for Peace, ICT in Sustainable Development: Promoting the SDGs, Digital Technology in Education & Training: Tools for 21st Century Learning and Accelerating Advocacy for Social Impact through Digital Technology.
In addition to the thematic areas, over twenty-three work lab topics were added to enhance outcomes for life skills and learning purposes.
This year youth camp brought together over two hundred young people drawn from across the 15 sub-political division of Liberia. The participants were also recruited during the closing ceremony to volunteer at Messengers of Peace–Liberia and benefit from unparalleled learning and growth opportunities at the institution.
While other participants were also selected to design community peace-building projects for implementation in their various counties.