Building peace and security for the welfare of society was topical in Bamenda on September 13, 2010 with the Regional Delegate of Basic Education, Mrs Nfon Susan to thank for a focus group discussion to create awareness on the subject. In effect, September 21, 2010 will feature as the day for peace and security in Africa with a series of activities targeted to cause the population to act for peace.
It was against this background that while launching the focus discussion in Bamenda; Mrs Nfon Susan told participants about the ugly side of a society without peace and security. She revealed that millions of lives have been lost to conflicts and wars in Africa , a remarkable percentage of which are children. Worse still, she revealed that many children and teenagers are involved in civil wars in which billions of cfa francs are wasted in wars and arms building at the expense of education, health and other friendly development priorities.
The Bamenda discussion featured pupils and students in the conviction that they are vital in peace building for a sustainable leadership as leaders of tomorrow. To hear Mrs Nfon Susan, “Youths will be the ones deciding tomorrow for themselves and their children and the schools and classrooms we manage today are more than just structures for formal education. They are forums for the development of children’s behaviour, attitudes and characters’.
The discussions also featured lessons on the concepts of peace and security, the involvement of children in building a culture of peace and security with participants mobilized to cooperate and work for peace. Participants included; teachers, councils workers, community based organizations or NGOs and Inspectors of Basic Education. It is on the strength of Resolution 36/67 of the U.N General Assembly that the International day of peace was established in 1981 and on the strength of an African union resolution of 31st August 2009 in Lybia, 2010 is the year of peace and security in Africa . Celebrations are expected to feature sketches, a minute of silence for peace, round table conferences, debates and football matches with the goal of bringing people closer to peace.
