ActionaAid Nigeria, an NGO has tasked youths in Nasarawa State to always pursue peace wherever they found themselves.
Mrs Ene Obi, Country Director, ActionAid, gave the charge on Friday at the end of a Youth Peace Camp in Doma Local Governent Area of the state.
Obi said the youth camp organised in partnership with Global Peace Development and Beacon Youth Initiative was in pursuance of the “System and Structure Strengthening Approach against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism (SERVE II) project being implemented in the state.
The SERVE II project is supported by Global Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).
She said the youth camp brought together 500 young people from 12 communities across six LGAs with the aim of building their capacity in promoting intercultural and religious dialogue as part of the appraoches to preventing conflicts and ensuring sustainable peace in their communities.
She said “Violent extremism thrives in the presence of idleness and marginalisation and many young people fall victims as extremist groups leverage on it to utilise their youthful strength to perpetrate evil and their selfish agenda.
“The Youth Peace Camp seeks to reduce this vulnerability by engaging young men and women in Nasarawa state in constructive dialogues and peace building activities through mentorship and teachings on mediation, intercultural communication, conflict management and peace building initiatives.”
The country director said that apart from the youth camp, ActionAid is also training women and youths in various skills and assisting them with equipments to practise their vocation.
She inducted the participants of the Youth Camp as ‘Peace Ambassadors’ during the event with the call on them to impact their communities.
In his remarks, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state lauded the organisers of the youth camp for the initiative.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Nehemiah Dandaura, the governor said the camp was a step in the right direction as the participants would go home transformed to impact their communities positively.
Similarly, Mr Ebruke Esike, Director of Global Peace Development, said the camp was geared towards stimulating the capacity of youths to contribute to peace in their communities, in line with United Nations Security Council resolution 2250.
“The youth have the capacity and strength to drive societal development if given the necessary support,” Esike said.
Some of the participants, Josephine Ayineje and Hassan Musa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the camp had exposed them to their responsibilities in peace building efforts in their various communities. (NAN)
