UN Resident Coordinator urges Ghanaian youth to champion peace during International Day of Peace commemorations

Mr Zia Choudhury, UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, has called on students and young people to actively serve as agents of peace in schools and communities, emphasising their crucial role in fostering development.

Speaking at the International Day of Peace commemoration on the theme: “Act Now for a Peaceful Ghana: Addressing Youth Delinquency in Second-Cycle Schools”, organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) and the United Nations Ghana, Mr Choudhury highlighted that peace is a shared responsibility extending beyond adults, parents, organisations, and government to include children and youth.

“You also have a role to play in maintaining peace. It begins with what you do today, what you buy, what you share, and how you treat others. Peace is everyone’s responsibility. It cannot be meant only for governments or international organisations,” he said.

The event brought together peace and security analysts, security personnel, parents, teachers, and students from Labone Senior High School, Accra Girls Senior High School, and Kanda Technical Institute, who discussed experiences and perspectives related to youth delinquency and peaceful coexistence.

Mr Choudhury stressed that even minor conflicts could escalate and affect broader social groups. “Peace requires courage and persistence… it means daily actions and sparking conversations that build understanding. It also requires challenging discriminatory language wherever we hear it and verifying information before sharing. These small acts, multiplied across society, create a culture of peace,” he added.

He further called on parents to instil tolerance and mentorship in children, and urged school authorities, communities, international partners, and the government to contribute toward ensuring peace across the nation.

Most Rev Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, NPC Chairman, emphasised the importance of listening to young people’s grievances and mentoring them, warning that without proper guidance, youth may act independently and be labelled delinquents. He added that peace campaigns should extend beyond formal education to include informal sectors and communities.

Mr Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, spokesperson for the National Chief Imam and NPC board member, urged students to make responsible choices during youth, a critical stage for personal development, emphasising that early missteps could have lasting consequences.

The International Day of Peace, commemorated annually on September 21, was established by the UN in 1981 to promote peace and non-violence, and declared a global day of ceasefire and non-violence in 2001.