2023 Int’l Day of Peace: GPFN advocates peaceful coexistence in Kaduna, Jos, others
http://www.newsportng.com.ng Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, (GPFN) has joined the rest of the world to mark the 2023 International Day For Peace on the theme: Action For Peace: Our Ambition for GlobalGoals.
The country Director, GPFN Rev. John Joseph Hayab in his remarks on Wednesday while commemorating the event in Kaduna, said peace remains the universal craving of every mankind and as such, the Foundation remains committed towards ensuring that there is peaceful coexistence among residents of Kaduna state, Jos, Niger and Nigeria at large.
Hayab noted that, GPFN has conducted numerous engagements in various communities in Kaduna State and other locations in Nigeria toward mitigating violence, reconciling differences, and promoting peaceful coexistence.
He further stressed that as part of this year’s International Peace Day, in furtherance of their engagement with various stakeholders to support the peace campaign, the GPFN is marking the day at three locations; Kaduna town in the northwest, Lapai, Lapai Local Government of Niger State in north-central, and Jos, Plateau State also in north-central Nigeria, where GPFN recently kick-started a peace project.
Hayab said who lamented that peace continue to elude the people despite the huge financial investment by world peace Ambassadors said the 2023 celebration is very important even as it will remind the people to together as one family under God.
Hayab said, “today marks another day of global commemoration of the International Day For Peace, a day set aside as one of the most important days in every calendar year.
“It behooves us all to seek and work for peace much more than we desire and yearn for growth and development.
As a result, let me use this occasion to felicitate with the Global Peace Foundation, the United Nations General Assembly, and all peace lovers and ambassadors across the globe on the 2023 International Day For Peace. In the spirit of the day, therefore, we call on all families, communities, groups, and nations under any crisis that continues to endanger human life to rethink, sheathe their swords, and embrace dialogue to resolve their conflicts.
“At a time when hunger, poverty, and artificial and natural disasters are enough threats to us, humanity should not be seen as an additional threat to itself, so let us give peace a chance.
“For us at Global Peace Foundation Nigeria (GPFN), it is either peace or nothing, so we continue to wage peace through the umbrella of One Family under God. Today, like always, we advocate that we look at man based on humanity before the differences in religion, ethnicity, tribe, and region. This day reminds us that regardless of where we come from, what language we speak, and what religion we practice, we are more alike as humans than we are different. We must, therefore, collectively strive to promote a culture of peace to attain the socio-economic development we all desire.
“This day is undoubtedly significant to every human, irrespective of creed, race, gender, ethnicity, and other divides. As our world celebrates high-level technological advancements, we must also understand that such developments continue to widen the gaps in our narrow identities, thereby making conflicts and violence a norm even as they continually threaten our existence as humans.
“Also, the constant emergence of more lines of divide and the deliberate efforts of confident entrepreneurs of conflict that continue to threaten the oneness of humanity continue to make the realization of a more peaceful world seemingly unattainable.
“Consequently, we cannot overemphasize that the socio-economic development of every human society hinges on peace and stability, which, funny enough, depends on the humans in that society.”
The Country Director also disclosed that their activities seek to support the advancement of women in the society through political and economic initiatives, actively oppose violence against women and girls in the community, promote the elimination of discrimination in the work place, encourage the democratic participation of all people in the community, among others so that every voice is heard in civic decision-making.
He urged residents of Kaduna state, Jos, Niger and Nigeria at large to embrace the above commitment and see themselves as peace Ambassadors in their respective localities, even as peace is a collective effort.
