The young generation, in a given country, is a new impetus injected to the general population/society to bring about change via taking over the nation with its future. The youth in Ethiopia is not exceptional in this regard. The youth are definitely engines of change and active motors to fuel the society, economic and even political trajectory of the nation, Ethiopia—East African star in this context.
Unequivocally, the youth in Ethiopia in particular and across the continent and beyond, the planet in general this means, have been playing an invaluable role in fueling the social, economic and political dynamics and have caused a number of remarkable changes regarding various sectors.
True, the youth can play a critical role in building peaceful nations by actively engaging in peace building initiatives, fostering dialogue, and promoting civic participation. They can be powerful agents of change, influencing policies and advocating for a more peaceful future. Engaging youth in peace processes, providing them with opportunities, and addressing the barriers they face are crucial steps towards creating a more peaceful society. The generation desires to have a stable, prosperous and sovereign nation as everyone in the globe would like to be proud of their respective motherland or fatherland.
Undeniably, peaceful and democratic struggle of the youth is crucial to build national unity and realize development endeavors. Cognizant of the fact that the youth can play an irreplaceable role in building the nation in all circumstance, a day-long training on the role of youth to national unity was recently given to regional leaders drawn from all parts of the country.
The country has to create conducive atmosphere and apt playground for the youth and the latter need to know about all affairs revolving around the nation like the constitution, the federal system, the harmonious way of living, the true cultural and traditional traits of each and every nationalities so that they can contribute to the wellbeing of the country. It is natural to have a range of questions in the minds of the youth in relation to politics, economic, social, cultural developmental affairs, among others and they must present themselves and their cardinal questions solely in peaceful manner for it is only in this way a peaceful country can be built and made sustained.
It is well recognized and even history or anthropological dynamism would have it, pursuing peaceful struggle in order to get appropriate response from the relevant government institutions is crucial and would help reap outstanding fruits. In addition to promoting the cultures of individual nations, nationalities and peoples, focusing on the youth and providing them with the attention they deserve will be of significantly useful in strengthening unity, cementing ties, promoting national unity among the diverse nationalities across the nation. Yes, they youth are two-sided sharped swords as they can contribute a lot in building the nation and destructing it otherwise if not nurtured and well taken care of. That is why Ethiopia has been well embarking on the youth and facilitating conditions for them to be people of their dreams amid some hurdles compromising the smooth flow of activities towards promoting youth engagement in various areas or sectors. No doubt, the contribution of the youth is huge when guided in an appropriate way and led systematically.
As witnessed so far, the government of Ethiopia is ready to support the youth and prioritize the strengthening of the capacity of institutions that serve the youth. Following the suitable atmosphere created in the country, these days, the youth, are using their passion, creativity and digital savvy to advocate for a more peaceful and just nation, continent and even universe. The youth have also been mobilized through social media to help them genuinely raise awareness about injustices and protesting against wars. Some are using their artistic talents to spread messages of unity and understanding through music, film and various other forms of creative expression.
Such a promising move needs to be well duplicated and be able to reach out to the unreached to play their share in all aspects. Most definitely, many are actively involved in rebuilding communities devastated by violence and conflict. They serve as aid workers, peacekeepers and volunteers, working tirelessly to help to create more peaceful and resilient societies at home and abroad. Their dedication demonstrates that lasting peace requires all members of society to work together, regardless of, among others, age, sex, social status, political view.
As it is clearly stipulated in the UN Youth Forum, “Every generation serves as caretaker of this world. Let’s be honest: Mine has been careless with that responsibility. But yours gives me hope.”
It has also been well comprehended that the young people are contributing to peace in their respective countries and globally, leading the way to a more just and equitable world.
From this, it is quite indispensable that everyone has a role in building a more peaceful world. The digital age has empowered young people to reshape political activism. Social media and online platforms have become powerful tools for mobilizing collective action, transcending borders with unprecedented speed. Technology has made it easier and more affordable to organize events, share information and connect with like-minded individuals.
Young people are at the forefront of this digital revolution, transforming how social movements reach and engage audiences online. As the majority of global Internet users, they have diversified movement tactics, harnessing digital tools to reach and mobilize more like-minded people.
Yes, the youth inject energy and enthusiasm into their work. They innovate, help lift overall performance, and serve as role models to other young people.
True, the government of Ethiopia, not limited to it of course as the issue is globally the call of the day, must work with young people to successfully achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as empowered young men and women can play a critical role in preventing conflicts and ensuring sustainable peace.
Interestingly, more and societies around the world are recognizing the role of youth as agents of change and critical actors in preventing conflict and building peace, and so is Ethiopia.
Recently organized by the UN Division for Economic and Social Affairs in collaboration with the Inter-agency Network on Youth Development, an august event drew together experts from youth civil society, government and the United Nations to explore the various ways in which young people are contributing to building and sustaining peace, coming up with innovative and creative spheres as well as invaluable ideologies shaping the mindset of the youth.
The Africa Youth Charter (AYC), adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments in Banjul, Gambia, crystallized the recognition of young men and women in Africa’s development by providing a continental framework with provisions on youth: rights, duties and freedoms; active participation in the continent’s development at all levels; guidelines and responsibilities of Member States to promote empowerment; and, responsibilities to contribute to national, regional and continental development. Yes, this vision needs to be translated into practical actions to make Africa the continent of its dreams.
Specifically, the role of youth in promoting peace and security in Africa is expressed via Article 17 of the AYC. Evidently, Africa’s youth are integral to and have taken on the responsibility to ‘Silence the Guns’ in Africa.
The unreserved effort of Africa’s Youth may be likened to how societies and governments across Africa to some extent view and treat its young population; often far from who or what they really are. A single story is not only imagined, nurtured and reproduced by layers of prejudices, misconceptions or outright falsehood but also circulated and reinforced in ways that make them assume ‘the truth’ or an element of truth with the passage of time. Hence, they have to be provided with a more nuanced and balanced story of African youth, one that began by listening attentively to and learning from them in their own spaces, away from the world of adults, on how much they are fulfilling or betraying the ideals of the present times.
In sum, Africa’s youth have to have a well-defined and comprehensive understanding of mother continent and have to move in unison to bring about all rounded change in all aspects via moving in unison. Unambiguously, the youth are fresh impetus for driving continental transformation and persistent change of Africa since no one can come and act accordingly to act so.
BY MENGESHA AMARE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 16 APRIL 2025
