Youth in Leadership Transformation Africa (YILT), a leading youth advocacy and leadership development organization will in collaboration with the National Commission Civic Education (NCCE), and the National Peace Council (NPC) organize a National Unity and Peace Symposium in Accra.
The symposium which will be on the theme, “One Nation, One People, One Vote: Fostering Socio-Political Cohesion Trust, Transparency Before, During, and After Elections” is aimed at creating a non-violent and peaceful coexistence campaign, reduce political tension, strengthen national unity, promote harmony, while ensuring a smooth transition of power.
It is also to educate the youth and the general public on the importance of peaceful elections and encourage them to vote on December 7, 2024.
The event will also highlight the potential long-term impact on promoting a culture of tolerance and civic engagement in Ghana.
With support from the Faculty of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics of the Pentecost University, the symposium further aims to educate political players to engage in healthy debates and avoid strong language and sentimental arguments, especially among grassroots activists and party foot soldiers.
Some of the activities to be undertaken as part of the symposium include The Youth Decides event, and The National Unity and Peace Campaign.
The Youth Decides is a subsidiary community engagement event of the Symposium leading to the general election. It provides a crucial platform for young people to voice their opinions, engage in meaningful peer-to-peer dialogue, influence societal direction, build resilience, encourage political diversity, and develop research-driven solutions.
The initiative promotes the use of appropriate measures to demand social-political accountability to ensure opinions of the youth are considered in national development.
It encourages youth inclusion and active participation in the upcoming elections to ensure a vibrant democratic future. The campaign aims also to disengage young people from political and tribal extremism and raise awareness about the dangers of vote-buying and political manipulation.
Furthermore, the National Unity and Peace Campaign will actively engage various stakeholders, including political frontliners, religious leaders, community leaders, civil society organizations, government entities, youth and student groups, and the general public to make public pledges for peace in 30-seconds to 1-minute videos, advocating peace through various communication channels, including social media.
According to a release from the YILT Africa, “these pledges will be shared on all social media platforms and national televisions to ensure a safer country before, during, and after the 2024 election.
“Discussions at the symposium will focus on charting a path forward for leading democratic power transitions, conversations on world peace, and its impact on Africa and Ghana. The event will explore the latest strategies, trends, research, and analysis in peacebuilding.
YILT Africa is therefore calling on the Executives and peace loving organizations and individuals to “come on board to build Ghana into a harmonious and peaceful nation.”
About YILT
The mission of YILT Africa is to promote youth leadership through innovation and technology for sustainable development. The organization aligns with SDG Goals 4, 8, 9, 13, 16, and 17, which focus on quality education, decent work and economic growth, innovation and infrastructure, climate action, peace, justice, and strong institutions and partnerships, respectively, aiming to achieve these by 2032.