The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and youth networks in Central and West Africa have organized a media campaign to commemorate this year's International Day of Peace, which is celebrated today September 21, 2020.

The theme of the media campaign is #YouthforPeace & #PeaceinSahel, an initiative that aims to mobilize the various actors in the region for concrete and sustainable actions to build peace.

In Guinea-Bissau, UNFPA, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, through the Youth Institute and other youth organizations, organized an event to celebrate the International Day of Peace 2020, at the Government Palace, chaired by the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Florentino Dias, who made a vibrant appeal to Guinean youth to demarcate themselves from any acts or intentions that may harm the peace and converge their actions towards the promotion of a common and healthy life in the country.

“We shall invest in the potential of young people, for peace in Africa, and improve relations with others, eliminating any barriers to coexistence, be it racial, ethnic or religious." Florentino Dias, Secretary of State for Youth and Sport. 

Florentino said that investing in the potential of youth for peace in Africa is the roadmap of the African Union (AU), particularly in the Guinean governance program, to economically impose youth and to increase their political and social participation in the development of the country.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports stressed that adding to the celebration of national independence, which is celebrated on September 24, the message is unique: “national reconciliation and unity ”, ensuring that peace and progress is the promise that each guinean should make. 

Florentino Dias affirmed that this is only possible with a free, prepared and determined youth to be able to give its contribution in the society. The minister therefore invites Guinean youth to demarcate themselves from any acts or intentions that damage peace and converge their actions to promote a common and healthy life.

In turn, Ana Leonie Lopes, representing the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), emphasized that International Day of Peace this year was imagined, as young people constitutes the largest fringe of the African and Guinea-Bissau population, having assured that the idea is to make young people have an active voice in the discussion about social and political changes that must be followed in the country.

“We must take advantage of the capabilities of young people in preventing and resolving conflicts, in order to build an increasingly a fairer society ”, defended Ana LeonieLopes, UNFPA youth and adolescents officer, calling on the Guinean government to work harder for greater inclusion of young people in the processes of development, stabilization and peace-building in Guinea-Bissau. 

UNFPA will continue to work with the government and youth to improve youth and adolescents situation in the country.