As the world marks the 2023 United Nations’ International Day of Peace, the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) has said the Sustainable Development Goals are essential to preventing conflict and maintaining peace.
Speaking at a media interaction and peace walk to commemorate the 2023 United Nations’ International Day of Peace in Abuja yesterday, the national commandant, Dr Dickson Akoh, said the SDGs are key elements in bringing peace to Nigeria and other nations in crisis.
Akoh said Nigerians should leverage on this year’s International Day of Peace to deeply reflect on the challenges the nation face as a people and collectively work towards a more peaceful and harmonious society for the future generation.
He said the global theme for this year’s International Peace Day is “Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals” while urging all Nigerians to continue to embrace peace and dialogue at all times.
“This year’s International Day of Peace focuses on “Actions for Peace” and how the Sustainable Development Goals are essential to preventing conflict and maintaining peace.
“We should leverage on this year’s International Day of Peace to deeply reflect on the challenges we face as a people and collectively work towards a more peaceful and harmonious society for the future generation. It is for this reason that we consider the theme for this year to be apt and timely too.
“In joining the global community to commemorate this day in our own little way, we have decided to observe media interaction, candlelight procession (peace walk), tree planting and painting of the Unity Fountain as part of our initiative to identify, advocate and promote the virtues of peace.
“This day however, reminds us on the need for us to work towards safeguarding the human rights of people with a view of building peaceful and inclusive societies without recourse to ethnic or religious sentiments.
“We are being confronted with a profound singular enemy, which is insecurity among the causes of insecurity in Nigeria today are mainly caused by bad governance, poor resource control, ethnoreligious fanatism, unemployment, human rights violation, inordinate ambition by egocentric politicians, etc.” he said