Youth for peace walk 2016 launched

Dels Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), is to organise a peace walk to promote unity among the youth before, during and after the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

The walk dubbed: “Youth for Peace Walk 2016,” is in collaboration with other key NGOs championing peace campaign in the country.

The event scheduled for September 21 at 6:00 AM is expected to gather 5,000 participants from Tertiary Institutions, non-formal sector and governmental agencies.

The walk would begin from the University of Ghana, Legon through some principal streets of Accra and enroute to Legon, in commemoration of the International Peace Day, which falls on the day.

Speaking at the launch of the Peace Walk in Accra, Ms Comfort Glikpo, the Chief Executive Officer of Dels Foundation said the concept behind the walk is to sensitise the youth to disengage from violence during elections.

She said the youth have potential that could be redirected to productive ventures rather than engaging in electoral violence.

Ms Glikpo noted that economic hardship sometimes lures the youth to engage in violence when they are offered money.

She said youth volunteers have been mobilised across the 10 regions of the country to serve as peace ambassadors in their communities to disseminate the essence of peace to the populace.

Ms Glikpo said the youth would be trained on how to communicate the concept of peace building on the elections as well as chieftaincy and other issues to people in the grassroots.

She said there would also be outreach programmes targeted at flash points, where movies on the effects of violence would be screened to deter people such acts.

“During that time we will make sure that we go with anyone who has witnessed conflict so that it would be some form of testimony.”

Mr Ebenezer Odjawo, Manager, Unique FM 95.7 Accra, commended Dels Foundation for the initiative and charged the youth to take the responsibility of changing the society and help promote peace and national cohesion

‘’As young people we should be on the fore front for drive for change. “By empowering ourselves we can be the agents of peace and development that we want to see.”

He therefore counselled Ghanaians to continue to maintain the peace and security the nation is enjoying.

Dels Foundation seeks the success of young generations, and to see the well-being of needy children and the aged in deprived communities.