Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Nigeria and The Drum Majors for Peace collaborated to host a summit on ‘The International Approach to Nation Building and Sustainable Peace’ in February 2022 to address major challenges facing the country.
Participants at the summit on The International Approach to Nation Building and Sustainable Peace.
Eight panelists discussed social justice issues and equal access to education, health, and national resources. In his remarks, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, GPF Nigeria Country Director and an award recipient at the forum, encouraged attendees to view each other as “one family under God.” Rev. Hayab stated, “Everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities as members of one family, community, state, and the nation at large.” He especially stressed the important role of youth in modeling respect and responsibility in their communities as well as the role of society at large to acknowledge that everyone—male or female, and from all racial backgrounds—is unique and important in building a peaceful and sustainable society.
Panelists for the 2022 summit on The International Approach to Nation Building and Sustainable Peace.
Her Excellency, Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of the Minister of Transport and founder of the Empowerment Support Initiative was among the summit’s esteemed panel. Highlighting peaceful co-existence within and among nations as the foundation for social justice, she emphasized employment as a prerequisite for reducing poverty, inequality, unemployment, human rights abuses, and enhancing social protection. She pointed out the rise of “get-rich-quick syndrome” as an enemy of the country’s culture of excellence and dignity.
Speakers called on government, corporate bodies, and development partners to support the efforts of non-governmental organizations to actualize sustainable development for Nigeria.
Participants at the summit on The International Approach to Nation Building and Sustainable Peace.
Other speakers, including Amina Alice Danjuma, Henry Chukwunonso, and Joseph Udofia, were sure to point out the essential role of young people in transforming society. Calling out how society tends to sideline youth in many sectors, the consensus was to not let age be a barrier to leadership, but rather raise the standard of competency, character, compassion, and patriotism.
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