Peace Day: IPCR takes ceasefire message to communities

The director-general, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Bakut T. Bakut, has disclosed that the Institute had concluded arrangements with some stakeholders to achieve a ‘ceasefire’ or ‘silent the guns’ in some Nigerian communities.

Addressing a press conference to herald the 2021 International Peace Day in Abuja, Bakut also called on all Nigerians to work assiduously to return peace to the country.

World Peace Day or International Day of Peace came into existence through the Resolution 55/282 of 1981 and the United Nations General Assembly declared every 21th of September for its celebration.

This year’s Day is themed: “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world.”

Bakut said the Institute was working with stakeholders to advocate and sensitize parties in violent conflict across the country on the need to observe a ceasefire on the day and adopt a non-violent approach to resolve conflict.

To achieve this, he stated that five of the institute’s newly created peace-building zonal offices will be fully engaged in their various locations on the Day.

“The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), which usually celebrates the Peace Day in collaboration with diverse stakeholders is once again working with partners to advocate and sensitize parties in violent conflict across the country on the need to observe a ceasefire on the 21th of September and adopt a non-violent approach to the resolution of conflict.

“Many of the stakeholders drawn from the security sector, civil society groups, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and development partners are leveraging the various ongoing peace-building programmes in communities to achieve a ‘ceasefire’ or ‘ ‘silent the guns,” he said.