BY LEULSEGED WORKU
The active participation of young people in peace building and transforming societies is unquestionably crucial. However, this will only happen when young people are cultivated and shaped accordingly; not to be prey of anti-peace elements.
According to Asma Redi, Chief Executive for Nation Building with the Ministry of Peace the young generation is duty bound to sustain peace because ensuring sustainable peace is a backbone not only to create a harmonious relationship between and among the whole society but also to advance the country’s overall development.
To this effect, the Ministry of Peace is working aggressively with all stakeholders despite all the challenges. In this respect, the role of the youth is tremendous. According to her, using all available opportunities the Ministry is conducting dialogues with different members of the society. Hand in hand with this, undertaking capacity building activities with stakeholders and regional bureaus is the other area where the Ministry is engaged in. As a result, encouraging results are witnessed.
Asma also said that the issue of peace should not only be left to a single Ministry; rather it should be the agenda of all. Mentioning that holding national dialogue with different stakeholders facilitates the path towards peace, she said, various civil society organizations working in Ethiopia have a key role in this regard.
From the time the Ministry of Peace has started working with the Inspired Ethiopian Youth Association, several positive results are witnessed. Peace needs active involvement of every single actor. As a responsible organization, Inspired Ethiopian Youth is doing its level best for sustainable peace focusing on youth, she added.
As mentioned by Inspired Ethiopian Youth Association Executive Director, Leyuneh Tamirat, the country is striving to register positive economic development and ensure peace. However, there are times where the peace of the nation stirred for known or unknown reasons. To curb such problems, and sustain peace, increasing the active involvement of stakeholders is the best way.
According to him, starting from the time of the Ethiopian Student Movement in the 1970s till this day, the youths have been used as a weapon to satisfy the interests of some groups. In this regard, the active engagement and role of civil society organizations is incalculable to implant positive thoughts within the minds of the youth. As part of this effort, the Association is working joining hands with other stakeholders.
According to Leyuneh, as a means to shape the mindset of the youth, the Association has launched a project, “Concerned Generation Movement” with the core value of “Creating one`s personal peace”.
“Anyone, who can create his/her personal peace, can also contribute to the peace of other individuals. On the other way round, those individuals whose peace and mental pattern is distorted cannot form peace for others. For this reason, creating a generation that is aware of his/her surroundings, and has a peaceful mind can serve as an agent for peace. This is one area where the Inspired Ethiopia Youth Association is working.”
Ethiopia needs to have a responsible and concerned generation that first gives value for itself. It is then he/she can contribute for others. Whenever the youths are concerned about their lifestyle they will also have a sense of concern for their community as well as for the whole country, as to him.
Behind every chaos and violence all over the world there are unconcerned groups or individuals who do not care about themselves or the others. People without vision cannot contribute any good to the society. People without vision fall prey to anti-peace elements. However, youth with a clear vision and goals have a mission and are concerned for peace.
“We are witnessing people who think that they are more concerned merely about a certain group. This is totally wrong. The youth should not be an instrument for others. They need to have a critical mind which is not driven by others. Therefore generating responsible, concerned generation is not only beneficial to the youths themselves but also for the whole nation.”
the Chinese health team has been providing extensive services at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital for the past one year. He also conveyed his indebtedness to the members for their exemplary contribution. At last, the Minister of Health, Dr. Lia Tadesse handed over the certificates of appreciation to each of the team members.
The Ethiopian Herald March 17/2023
