Youth Make the Peace Flow: IPYG Zambia Youth Leaders Peace Conference

 

 

Declaration of World Peace, the IPYG Zambia Youth Leaders Peace Conference was held on May 26 at Natatindi Hall in Lusaka, Zambia. The event gathered over 200 youth leaders, civil society organizations, and government officials, marking the official launch of the Zambia Youth Peace Network.

Co-hosted by HWPL, IPYG, and the Lusaka City Council, the conference brought together youth organizations working across diverse sectors including environment, education, civil society, and sustainable peace. Through their encounter with IPYG, participants resonated with the importance of youth-driven peacebuilding and united their voices to set a wave of peace in motion.

 

 

Held under the slogan, “Youth Make the Peace Flow,” the highlight of the event was the launch of the Youth Engagement & Peacebuilding Working Group (YEPW). YEPW is a community-based initiative that supports youth in strengthening their peacebuilding capacities and engaging them in ongoing activities. It aims to explore and implement practical solutions to local peace and security challenges and foster peaceful communities through youth participation.

During the conference, 11 new YEPW members were introduced, and more than 50 youth organizations officially became affiliated with IPYG, launching an integrated platform for youth-led peacebuilding.

 

 

Youth representatives gave presentations under the theme, “Why I Chose Peace.” Senika Banda Cheta, president of the Zango Foundation, delivered a speech titled, “Choosing Peace Through Purpose.” She emphasized that volunteering should not be seen merely as service or charity, but as a powerful investment in oneself and a vital process of leadership development.

Simate Simasiku, chairperson of Youth For Peace Zambia, highlighted the importance of humanism, drawing from the philosophy, “I am because we are.” He stated that embracing diversity and building solidarity beyond divisions are central to fostering a culture of peace, and he called on youth to work together for sustainable peace.

 

 

The program also featured a Unity Board Signing Ceremony, a symbolic expression of the commitment to peace, a campaign involving youth councilors from Lusaka’s 38 wards, cultural performances by youth organizations, and networking sessions where participants collectively designed local peace action plans.

“We would love to see young people flourish in a nation where there is peace and truth,” said Mr. Victor Kagoli, director of the Public Health Department at the Lusaka City Council. “You are a valuable energy toward making Zambia a peaceful country and a beacon of development in Africa.”

At a time when sustainable peace is emerging as a global agenda, Zambian citizens from all walks of life are actively engaging as peace messengers through the Legislate Peace (LP) Program. This conference marked an important step for Zambian youth to take the lead in building a peaceful society, drawing upon their traditions and experiences.

The youth-led wave of peace that began on this day is expected to grow into a greater flow, with more young people across Zambia rising as key actors in community peacebuilding. IPYG will continue expanding partnerships with youth organizations to support this movement.