As the world celebrates the International Peace Day 2020, a non-governmental organisation, AID Foundation has identified education as a panacea to peace in the society.
To this end, the foundation is calling for special support for women in a bid to drive the peace building process.
AID Foundation Programme Officer, Oluwafisayo Olorunfemi, told Blueprint in Kaduna that, “education both formal and informal can help to bring peace to the society by inculcating peace in children from tender age, peace should also be added to the school curriculum. Our educational system should infuse peace, moral and humanity in the children.”
The CEO, AID Foundation, Mr Bonet Agize, said women should be given more room for peace building to bring their wealth of experience to bear. “Communities consciously and unconsciously neglect to identify or consider women’s views in issues that relate to conflict or peace building.
“As we commemorate the 2020 International Peace Day, we want to call on government, traditional and religious Institutions to deliberately begin to create safe spaces for women and young girls within peace building architecture. So that they can bring in their unique wealth of experience, knowledge and perspective to the peace building processes across the globe.
“Therefore, we dedicate 21st September to women across the globe who are even more affected by violence conflict that disrupts peace to air their views on how and what they think communities, government, religious institutions, etc should do to bring about sustainable peace in our world.
“As part of our intervention in peace building with support from PLAN International, we are also commemorating the International Peace Day alongside our Kaduna State Youth Peace Academy (KSYPA) partners in Kasuwan Magani, Birnin Gwari and Kajuru simultaneously.
“In Kasuwan Magani, the KSYPA made up of Christian and Muslim Youths of Adara, Fulani and Hausa extraction will team up to perform storm theatres within their communities highlighting the consequences of spreading rumors and asking all to come together and shun it. They also are conducting a rally to increase awareness about what they are jointly doing towards religious tolerance and promoting peaceful coexistence.
“In Birnin Gwari, the KSYPA mobilized Christian and Muslim youths to clean up the heart of the town to symbolize that peace has diverse approaches when people are determined to work together for a common good. In Kajuru, the KSYPA is also performing storm theatres for select groups demonstrating how dangerous it is to engage in rumor peddling. They will end the day with a peace rally to mobilize citizens to embrace peace.
“We are calling on the media to provide platforms for more women to air their views and contribute towards sustainable peace in our world. Traditional and religious leaders consciously incorporate women in their peace building architecture and mechanisms; the government to include more women in peace building and reconciliations committees and always seek their views in issues that concern peace.”
