UNMISS<\/p>\n
With elections slated for 2024, a peace process riddled with delays and the need to write an inclusive permanent constitution, South Sudan, the world\u2019s youngest nation, is at a critical moment in its history.<\/p>\n
To galvanize public participation in the country\u2019s long-awaited democratic transition, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan is kicking off a series of awareness-raising campaigns under the theme, \u2018Peace Begins with Me.\u2019<\/p>\n
The first one naturally focused on youth. Some 500 students at the University of Juba, drawn from 30 different academic disciplines, and their professors came together to discuss key issues related to peace and security.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeace and war are opposites. A durable peace gives citizens the chance to develop their full potential and affect meaningful social transformation. All of us have an individual responsibility to help usher lasting peace in our families, neighborhoods, and communities,\u201d said Adams Chollong Ohire, the University\u2019s Dean.<\/p>\n
\u201cSitting here and talking constructively about shaping a brighter, more prosperous South Sudan with young people is vital because they are the future,\u201d he added, appreciating this initiative by the UN Peacekeeping mission.<\/p>\n
Reuben Inaju, the Head of the mission\u2019s Community Outreach Unit agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we speak of peace beginning with the individual, we are looking at our collective responsibility to create a harmonious social fabric. To energize collective action, everybody must do their part. If you internalize peace, you will be able to spread that feeling around you,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Many other participants put out significant viewpoints.<\/p>\n
For Milton Melingasuk, Acting Vice Chancellor at the University, peace is the foundation of democracy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you build peace, you nurture a successful nation,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Security is another vital element of a stable society, according to Esther Kyewalabye, a Senior Humanitarian Adviser with the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, the body that monitors the progress of the 2018 peace deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout strong security, displaced people will not return to their original settlements; they will have no means of rebuilding their lives,\u201d she stated. \u201cAdditionally, conducting free, fair, and credible elections needs a robust security apparatus. Peace and security are inextricably intertwined.\u201d<\/p>\n
Students, too, were frank in expressing their opinions.<\/p>\n
\u201cMuch of the intercommunal conflict we see across the country today stems from ignorance of shared social and cultural values that can bind us together under a unified national identity. This event organized by UNMISS gives a platform for all of us to get to know each other, which will, in turn expedite the country\u2019s development,\u201d said Deng Manong Jock, a student from the University\u2019s Anthropology Department.<\/p>\n
On South Sudan\u2019s permanent constitution, a spirited debate ensued between the participants and facilitators on the need for inclusivity while drafting this important document.<\/p>\n
\u201cWriting a constitution is the quintessential act of sovereignty for any nation, and South Sudan is no exception. It requires widespread and inclusive consultations across the country to make sure that the final document reflects the will of every citizen. Everybody deserves to have a say in how they are governed,\u201d clarified Emmanuel Ret Chol, a Political Affairs Officer from UNMISS.<\/p>\n
Similar campaigns are being planned in different universities across Juba.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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