2023-11-25 03:09:07
Speaking to ANGOP, the Tswanese Mpule Kgetsi, the Mozambican Cheldon Maduela, the Tanzanian Genila Hiel, as well as the Angolan Antonira de Carvalho converged their opinions on the importance of the forum and the need for youth to be proactive in promoting actions that contribute to the peace and well-being of societies, highlighting peace as the main element.
According to Genila Hiel, a university student who was eager to disseminate the message to co-citizens, the spirit of pacification must be instilled from an early age within communities so that people grow and work in healthy coexistence for sustainable development.
For Cheldon Maduela, it is not just up to governments to address issues linked to peace and democracy, which is why he considers the Biennale to be an inspiring platform for disseminating the experiences obtained, wherever necessary.
He highlighted that peace is the “cornerstone” for the socio-economic development of States and its preservation requires the contribution of everyone, without exception.
“We, the 12 young people from different countries, selected by UNESCO, are going to take the information and disseminate it in our States”, said the young graduate in international relations, in an allusion to the “bulk” of participants from this fringe, including students and representatives of other institutions.
For his part, Mpule Kgetsi welcomed the initiative, saying that African youth have not had great opportunities to meet on similar platforms, with heads of state or former rulers, and discuss burning issues that concern them, hence the need to increasingly reinforce the spirit of preserving peace, unity and harmony among peoples.
It allowed us to address various situations and also express our concerns, I will try to pass the message on to others, said Mpule Kgets, director of the Tswanese Non-Governmental Organization “Women Lead Africa”.
Angolan Antonira de Carvalho, a university student, considered the forum an opening for the inclusion of youth in relevant current affairs on the continent and suggested greater coverage, especially for students at various levels of education, in order to enlighten the class about the government’s commitment to gender matters.
“It is true that, more than talking, we need to put it into practice, train people so that we can do good field work and then feel the effects of everything that has been said”, he emphasized.
On the other hand, those interviewed praised the government for organizing the event and Angolans, in general, for their hospitality.
This Friday, symbolizing the end of the biennial’s activities, a group of event participants visited the Agostinho Neto Memorial and the National Museum of Military History, where they had the opportunity to learn a little more about the history of Angola, from the battles from the kings of the time of colonization, to the armed struggle for independence until reaching definitive peace, in April 2002.
Held over two days, in the Angolan capital, in a co-organization between the Government, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace had 790 participants from several African countries and defended the establishment of partnerships between political leaders and young people, in sustainable social and economic projects that benefit society as a whole.
The meeting recommended, among others, the expansion of the culture of peace through access and efficient use of digital technologies and the creation of an African women’s network for conflict prevention, peace negotiation and national reconciliation.
It also called for the regular promotion of intergenerational dialogue to ensure continuous communication between political leaders and young people, the implementation of policies that ensure the participation of young people in decision-making processes and the formation of policies that promote gender equality. VC/SC
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