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Tag: World Peace Day

  • Today is World Peace Day

    Today is World Peace Day

    Sir: Every September 21 was declared by the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate peace by the Resolution 55/282 in September 2002. It is devoted to strengthen the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples, and thus urges member states to ensure its observance. Nigeria is joining other countries to mark the day.  

    This year’s theme is Action for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals.  It is a call to action that our individual and collective efforts to foster peace should be accelerated to realize global goals including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is also a push for us to recognize how our individual and collective actions can affect and foster global peace.

    But while we are celebrating peace and reminding ourselves of the need to promote peace in places where conflict and violence are common, it is important to underscore the fact that there is no way there will not be conflict or dispute in our world. Putting it succinctly, conflict must exist in our everyday lives. Brad Pitt aptly describes it as, “happiness is overrated. There has to be conflict in life.”

    Read Also: World Peace Day: Aisha Buhari canvasses justice, equity

    It is a common saying that conflict is natural. Without conflict, there will be no development. Unfortunately, Nigeria has grappled with the ugly side of conflict. Individuals, groups and communities have resorted to violence because of competition over scarce resources, or seeming irreconcilable differences. Their use of force has destroyed millions of lives, livelihoods and property over matters that should have been prevented, managed or resolved amicably. The escalation of violence has made Nigeria infamous from terrorism; communal, ethnic and religious conflict; secessionism and cultism. 

    Therefore, as we celebrate this year’s International Day of Peace, let us eschew violence as we experience conflict in our day-to-day activities. Conflict is inevitable even in the best of relationships and work environments. Rather than giving up and make things worse, we can adopt a set of skills that produce better outcome for every party involved in the conflict.

    Nigerians should be sensitive to others’ position and perspective. Let us use today to remember that since there is no way there will not be conflict, it is our humanity’s obligation to promote peaceful resolution to conflict.  One can say peace is a well-managed social conflict. 

    The legitimate needs and interests of all would be responded to if we give peace a chance. The citizens and non-citizens alike will be better for it. 

    • Dr. Olalekan A. Babatunde Abuja.

  • World Peace Day: Aisha Buhari canvasses justice, equity

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has canvassed for a society where justice and equity reigns as the world marked 70th anniversary of UN Peace Day.

    She made the appeal on Friday in Abuja at the 2018 UN Peace Day celebration organised by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR).

    She was represented by a former Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mrs Pauline Tallen.

    She described this year’s theme, “The Right to Peace – The Universal Declaration of Human Right at 70’’, as apt in the light of the Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.

    According to her, peace is only possible when there is equal access to justice.

    “’Peace is feasible only when we promote peace and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels,” she said.

    The UNESCO Regional Director, Ydo Yao, who represented the Director-General of UNESCO, Audray Azoulay, noted that peace would remain elusive as long as cases of human rights violations still persist.

    “There will be no peace on this planet as long as human rights are violated somewhere in the world.”

    Azoulay explained that on this International Day of Peace, the words of René Cassin, one of the architects of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, remind us that “peace will remain an unattainable ideal as long as fundamental human rights are not respected’’.

    She said that respect for the fundamental human rights was a prerequisite for a peaceful society, in which everyone can fully enjoy equal and inalienable rights.

    “Peace is imperfect and fragile unless everyone benefits from it; human rights are either universal or they are not.

    “This intrinsic link between peace and respect for human rights is the theme of this year’s International Day of Peace, as this year we celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    “The ideals of peace and universal rights are challenged and violated on a daily basis,” she said.

    The Royal Father of the Day, Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman, the Emir of Bade, Yobe State, said there was need for a role for traditional institutions in enthroning lasting peace in the country.

    “I appeal to the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and her partners to consider the role of the traditional rulers as consequential to the recovery of peace and sustainable rulers in the country on conflict resolution.

    “On daily basis we resolve many conflicts in our respective domains to ensure orderliness.

    “I therefore urge the Federal Government to provide IPCR funds for the training of royal father’s in mediation and conflict resolution.

    “We shall do our best as royal father’s to ensure peaceful coexistence among the people of the country,” he said.

    The Acting Director-General of IPCR, Dr Bakut Bakut, had earlier said the institute had in pursuance of peace in Nigeria and beyond, established National Peace Academy, with the hope to produce peace advocates throughout the country.

    Bakut said that the importance of peace in any given society could not be overemphasised, noting this underscored the fact that peace is necessary condition for any development to take place.

    He called on political leaders and their followers to pursue peace at all cost as the nation moved closer to 2019 elections.

  • World Peace Day: NGO, Religious leaders calls for peaceful society

    World Peace Day: NGO, Religious leaders calls for peaceful society

    As the world celebrate the International Day of Peace, a Non-governmental organisation, African Democratic Development Initiative, religious leaders and stakeholders in Ikorodu Lagos State have advocated for a society that is all inconclusive and violence free.

    The celebration was held, today Friday at the Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat. Reading the message of United Nation Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, on the 2017 international day of peace Olusesan Olukoya, Executive Director of AFRIDEVI, said the obligation of the international community is to ensure that everyone forced to flee their homes receives protection.

    He said, “the international of peace, observed every year on 21 September, embodies our shared aspiration to end the needless suffering caused by armed conflict. It offers a moment for the people of the world to acknowledge the ties that bind them together, irrespective of their ceasefire, with the hope that one day of peace can lead ultimately to a stilling of the fund”.

    “focusing in the plight of refugees and migrants throughout the world. Our obligation as an international community is to ensure that everyone forced to flee their homes receives the protection to which they are entitled under international law. Our duty as a human family is to replace fear with kindness”. The chief Imam of Ikorodu Central mosque, Alhaji Yahaya Oshoala, said the country must always strive for peace.

    “What bothers me about the unavailability of peace in the world, is the effect it has on the innocent young children among us that concern me. The legacy we are laying for children is uncalled for” he said. “There is no love, no security and confidence in anyone. What baffles me is that those who are expected to be in custody and of peace, the religious leaders in this country are part of the ills happening in this country, those in the custody of justice, the judges and lawyers are creating havoc in the society, than what we expect”.

    “Those in government, that they claim are there for us, are really not respecting us they are self-centered, they claimed to be there for us, but really for their pockets. How do we expect peace when millions are downtrodden and someone is collecting millions of naira and we are expecting peace, that’s impossible”. “Look at some buying cars for N17million each when we have bad roads in country and we expect peace, when those who steal and are caught, and taken to court by the EFCC, they then get free.

    Even the president that is trying to make things better is being backslide by people and some in his party. What we don’t have is justice, which is mother of love and love is the mother of peace. You can’t get peace without love, love without justice, what do you mean by justice, it is by giving everyone it dues. The Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria, Ikorodu chapter, Dr. Emmanuel Adegoke, Shepherd in charge of Celestial Church of Christ, urge religious leaders to always be at the forefront of preaching peace. “no one can see God without having peace in his life.

    The Bible also said we should seek peace and pursue it. The condition of people or nation would never change unless they change what is in their mind. How do you peace when you step on people’s life, how can peace come to rein when we make ourselves god over others” he said. “The king, ministers, governors, legislatures, chairmen, imam everyone of us are being drawn into this menace so the ultimate will of Almighty God to mankind is peace. Every church, denomination is suppose to be an ambassador of peace where ever they are”.

    The Vice Chairman, Ikorodu West Local Government, Princess Folashade Olabanji said achieving peace is a collective effort. According to her, “we must know that peace must be be sort by everyone. It is priceless, it is only when we have peace, that everything else will follow, so for us here, we are saying peace, which we all must imbibe, relate with attitude that everything we do, we must try to dialogue and understand each other, think of others” she said.

    “There is hope and future, which we all must always work to a achieve peace in our society. Here in Ikorodu, we have done peace rally and parley with enforcement agencies, community leaders and everyone involved to identify to understand the cause of this and let people know that we are accountable to one another”.

  • Nigeria hosts World religion peace summit

    Nigeria hosts World religion peace summit

    There is no denial that the world today is going through varying degrees of tension across borders, violence, injustices, human rights violations and discrimination, and the major cause of this violence has always been traced to religion. Thus, the need for world religions to come together to save the world cannot be overemphasised.
    In the effort to put things right from religious angle, the 2nd World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit (WARP) held on Tuesday in Nigeria.
    The summit tagged ‘Dialogue of Scriptures’, held at the multipurpose hall of Beleke Memorial Mosque, Surulere – Lagos, attempted to find meaning to who God is, if God really created everything in the universe, and why He gave the Scriptures.
    Answers to these questions were drawn from the Scriptures of the two major religious group represented as the Traditional worshipper could not make the summit to describe God from his Scripture.
    Speaking on the theme: ‘About the God and His Holy Scripture’, Imam Abdullahi Shuaib, Chief Executive Officer of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, started by describing God in different languages from Arabic – Allah to Yoruba – Olorun, Hausa – Ubangiji, Igbo – Chineke and many others as he could remember.
    The Cleric defined God from the point view of the Islamic scripture – Quran saying: “There is no other God but He. He lives forever and neither sleep nor slumber. He controls all things in heaven and on earth.
    “Whatever must come to be must receive His permission. His throne extends throughout heavens and on earth. Allah is the creator of the whole universe and cause to grow, all leaves and plants.”
    Imam Shuaib also said that Allah gave the scripture as divine guidance for mankind and as a criterion for establishing rights from wrongs, light from darkness, truth from falsehood, justice from injustice and peace from violence.
    Archbishop Anthony Macfonse of Osmond Orthodox Church in his speech started by establishing the fact that man cannot completely understand what God is like because He is beyond our limited understanding. His words: “Definitely we know Him and we have found clues as to what God is like and what He wants from us.” He therefore went on to describe God according to the Christian Scripture: “I am your God, apart from me there is no other. I am God the father of all creation. Before the mountains were made, before the universe was created, I am always your everlasting God and do not live in any particular place.”
    Sharing a similar view with the Archbishop, Sheikh Sulaiman Adangba described God firstly as the unseen being at every action and cannot be compared to any creature. According to Sheikh Adangba, National Head of Mission, Al-Fatihul Quareeb Islamic Society of Nigeria: “He (God) created the heavens and the earth and He is the sustainer of the living and none living creatures. He is all knowing; all powerful.”
    He further noted that God is the greatest considering the way He created everything by merely calling them into existence. “He created everything by simply saying let there be,” he said.
    According to him, for world religion to achieve the desired degree of peace, there may be need for a Religion National Conference the same way those in government are calling for a Sovereign National Conference.
    Sheikh Adangba admonished that religion faithful should be conversant with the teaching of the religion’s Scripture given to by God through His prophets.
    “It is those who are one that would be saved. Let us be versatile with our Scriptures since it has all guidance for our existence on earth,” the Sheikh maintained.
    The fourth speaker, Venerable Nwashili Kaine Desmond of the Anglican Church did not differ from Sheikh’s stands when he maintained that all Scriptures were breathed out by God and permitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.
    The Clergy further said that God gave the Scripture to reveal Himself to man as against the beliefs of Science and that the Scripture was given to reveal the lasting picture of Christ. “God gave us the Bible to reflect Himself to mankind as in the case of a mirror and to also reflect man to man.
    The Scripture helps us to see other people’s sins as well as our sins. He (God) gave the Bible to reveal His plan of salvation.”
    On his part, chairman of the event, Bishop Johnson Akin Atere, urged every participant to develop personal relationship with God saying: “If you find yourself amidst a crowd in the stadium, praying and calling to God all night long, what matters most is your relationship with God.
    Speaking about religious wars, the man of God said: “If you meet a war survivor and he or she recounts happenings to you, you will never desire war. Let us love one another and learn to manage our differences so that we can get closer to where we are going rather than where we are coming from.”
    WARP, an initiative of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) headquartered in Seoul, is devoted with sincere hopes that everyone shares the world with peace and good health.
    HWPL is an international organization whose mandate is to see the cessation of wars. It pursues this goal through a number of avenues, namely the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), and the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG).
    Delivering the closing remark, Shakiru Yekini, Secretary to Conference of Islamic Organisations – the host organisation for the event – gave the assurance that the summit will, in its subsequent editions, engage more youths by taking the event to Hall of tertiary institutions. “The youths are the future leaders and we cannot but get closer to them to teach them what is right to do,” he summed.
  • Promoting global peace

    Promoting global peace

    ‘Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal’’ – Martin Luther King

    Today marks the United Nations International Day of Peace. A day set aside to provide an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to promote peace.

    The International Day of Peace is marked on September 21st every year and has been celebrated for the past eleven years as officially declared by the UN General Assembly.

    According to United Nations, the day of peace offers an opportunity for the world to pause, reflect and consider how best to break the vicious cycle of violence that conflict creates.

    The theme for this year: “Education for Peace.”

    But as the world marks the International Day of Peace- Peace Day, what level of peace can we say we enjoy as Nigerians? Do we live in harmony? Are there threats of disintegration rather than togetherness?

    Some Nigerians who spoke to the Nation believe that the country is yet to experience peace. This is blamed on those at the helm of affairs. They believe that the absence of true leadership in the country has given rise to incessant kidnapping, oil bunkering, wanton killings and many more that is currently bedeviling the Nigeria.

    One of such is Mr. Chris Obodo, a lecturer of Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Ogba who said he will continually preach peace just like other Nigerians in his class room but believes the gospel of peace can be solely preached when the leaders have seek and promote peace.

    Obodo said: “I will teach peace but the fact remains that the National Assembly, Executive and other arms of government are to learn peace and its effects. Peace when practiced by leaders will make meaning for followers to abide.”

    He believes that education for peace is highly preached in the class rooms, churches, mosques and social gatherings, insisting that the government must lead by example, “If the young ones are taught peace but everywhere they go is war the message is meaningless. Government therefore needs to be peacemakers for the message to thrive and have meaning.’’

    He therefore called on leaders to live by example. This he said is a sure way in making United Nations theme for this year: ‘Education for Peace” a reality.

    On his part, Mr. Dele Omojuyigbe, Head of Department, General Studies, Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ)  believes the moment government stops laying bad examples for her followers, there will be peace, “One way through which peace can reign is by government at-local, state and federal levels to avoid  laying bad examples.”

    Omojuyigbe calls on the leadership to be sincere and avoid any corrupt tendencies. This he says will go a long way in reducing strife among the youths who aspire to get rich no matter the consequences.

    He also sees individuals as change agents for peace and therefore called on individuals from across the country to create enabling environment for peace. “As individuals, peace can be achieved when we create enabling environment for peace to reign through fair play in whatever assignment we carry out.”

    In commemorating the day and in the spirit of peace Omojuyigbe urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government to reach a truce and end this lingering ASUU Strike.

    Speaking on this event, the United Nations Secretary- General, Ban Ki Moon said; “The International Day of Peace is a time for reflection – a day when we reiterate our belief in non-violence and call for a global ceasefire.  We ask people everywhere to observe a minute of silence, at noon local time, to honour those killed in conflict and the survivors who live with daily trauma and pain. This year we are highlighting Education for Peace.  Education is vital for fostering global citizenship and building peaceful societies.

    “In June, Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl targeted for assassination by the Taliban for campaigning for the right to education, came to the United Nations.  Malala said: “One teacher, one book, one pen, can change the world.”  These are our most powerful weapons.

    “That is why, last year, I launched the Global Education First Initiative.  Every girl and every boy deserves to receive a quality education and learn the values that will help them to see themselves as part of a global community.

    “Governments and development partners are working to get every child in school and learning well to equip them for life in the 21st century.  There is new momentum in countries with the greatest needs, such as those affected by conflict, which are home to half of all children lacking education.

    “But we must do more – much more.  Fifty-seven million children are still denied an education.  Millions more need better schooling. Educating the poorest and most marginalized children will require bold political leadership and increased financial commitment.  Yet aid for education has dropped for the first time in a decade.  We must reverse this decline, forge new partnerships, and bring much greater attention to the quality of education.

    “On this International Day of Peace, let us pledge to teach our children the value of tolerance and mutual respect.  Let us invest in the schools and teachers that will build a fair and inclusive world that embraces diversity.  Let us fight for peace and defend it with all our might.”

    In the last six years, United Nations has had the under listed themes to mark the day of peace:

    2012: Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future
    2011: Peace and Democracy: Make Your Voice Heard
    2010: Youth and Development
    2009: Disarmament and Non-proliferation
    2008: Human Rights and Peacekeeping
    2007: Peace Is the United Nations’ Highest Calling
    In Nigeria, a National Peace building Convocation will take place today at the Merit Award House in Abuja.

    The keynote speech on “The Role of Education in Building a Culture of Peace and Fostering Global Citizenship” will be presented by Mr. Charles Chibo, an educator, scholar, and international human resources management trainer.