2016 West Africa Peace Jam launched
The 2016 edition of the West Africa Peace Jam has been held in Ghana, with a call on politicians not to allow their political ambitions to drag the country into pandemonium.
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According to the 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, Mrs Leymah Gbowee, the upcoming general elections should be another avenue for Ghana to reinforce its credential as one of the best democratic countries on the continent.
“Ghana is a role model for many African countries and politicians must know that anything they do will have a major implication for the people and the nation,” Mrs Gbowee said at the opening ceremony of the conference.
Peace Jam
Peace Jam is an international education programme built around Nobel Peace Prize Laureates who work personally with the youth to pass on the spirit, skills and wisdom they embodied.
The goal of Peace Jam is to inspire a new generation of leaders who will transform themselves, their local communities and the world.
The programme sparks commitment to justice and peace, builds cross-cultural understanding, increases social responsibility, global awareness and academic performance, provides positive role models and engages students in learning to provide service to society.
About 400 peace jammers, comprising junior and senior high school students from the Greater Accra and Eastern regions, attended the conference, which was held at University of Ghana (UG).
The conference was hosted by the West Africa Centre for Peace Foundation.
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Protection for the young
Mrs Gbowee said the responsibility of the current leaders of the world was to create an atmosphere of peace and security for the youth.
“We must understand that if anything happens on the continent, it will be the young ones who will lose and suffer more,” she said.
Mrs Gbowee observed that one of the attributes that distinguished developed countries from developing ones was that the leadership of those nations put the interest of the people above their personal gains.
“This is what some leaders on the African continent lack,” she added.
The Director of the West Africa Centre for Peace Foundation, Mr Wisdom Addo, said the foundation had its core mandate to promote peaceful coexistence and respect for all.