By Olukayode Idowu
The need for Nigeria’s youth to embrace peace was brought to the fore at the 8th International Conference on Love and Tolerance, organised by the Institute For Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and a Turkish group dedicated to peace building, UFUK Dialogue.
The IPCR, UFUK Dialogue and other stakeholders gathered youth across the country in Abuja on Thursday to build the capacity of youth in Nigeria to promote peace and mutual respect and cohabitation.
Speaking at the conference conference with the theme “ Empowering Youth: Cultivating a Culture of Peace and Understanding,” Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, in his remarks noted that the Nigerian youth may be facing challenges at the moment but they have the opportunity of transforming their lives through peace and love to change the country for the better.
The Minister, who was represented by a former Nigerian envoy to Australia, Anderson Madubuike, appealed for more patriotism among Nigerians, adding that the youth can still actualize their best potential.
The Director General of IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu in his remarks said 8th edition of the International Conference on Love and Tolerance demonstrates the depth of understanding that IPCR and UFUK Dialogue have on the centrality of peace in national development.
He added that this platform demonstrates commitment to investing in knowledge exchanges as a veritable means of bridging the gaps in perceptions on diversities, inherent in multicultural and multi-religious societies.
Ochogwu said: “The global peace and security landscape is dotted with severe challenges associated with violent conflicts with unimaginable impacts on human society. Although Nigeria is facing such challenges in multiple fronts, there is no doubt that greater strides have been made in the areas of peace building especially in the areas of sensitization and awareness creation on peaceful coexistence, policy advocacy, capacity-building, interventions through mediation and dialogue, post-conflict reconstruction, rehabilitation and reintegration, among others.
“These actions are aimed at reclaiming the civil space from the conflict profiteers, whose inordinate enterprises have continued to unleash destruction on human society.”
He added that the theme of the conference was germane considering the urgency of the youth in peace building, as encapsulated in the UNSCR 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security.
He said that the Nigerian youths face the same challenges and opportunities in the country, although the threshold is dependent on variables such as the peace and security index, literacy level, entrepreneurial skills, among others, noting that: “Irrespective of the abundance of the opportunities, the utility value is predicated on the peaceful nature of the environment. Innovations and creativity incubate and thrive in a peaceful environment. Nigeria’s youthful population would become more impactful when their vulnerabilities are reduced through imbibing a culture of peace and understanding.
“The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution remains committed to providing leadership in the non-kinetic approach to reversing the violent conflict trends in the country through capacity building of community stakeholders on conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding, partnership and collaboration with civil society organizations with shared aspirations, leading peace advocacy among others,” he added.
President of the UFUK Dialogue, Emrah Ilgen in his remarks said the stakeholders came together not just as organizations, not just as individuals, but as a family bound by a shared commitment-to create a world where peace, understanding, and opportunity are accessible to all, especially for the youth.
“At UFUK Dialogue, we believe that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the architects of today. They stand at the crossroads of great challenges-conflict, inequality, climate change, and economic hardship. But they also hold the key to innovative solutions, to hope, and to a future that is built on justice and inclusion.
“This is why we do what we do. This is why we build bridges, form partnerships, and stand side by side with organizations that share our vision. We know that no single institution can solve the world’s problems alone, but together, with our combined efforts and unwavering commitment, we can empower young minds, strengthen communities, and shape a future that reflects the values of love, tolerance, and mutual respect,” he said.
The conference was attended by religious clerics from the Christian and Muslim faiths, civil society organizations, the academia, students, women groups, government agencies, international organizations and many others.
