Dimapur, Dec 11: The 9th North East Youth Peace and Cultural Festival 2016 culminated on December 11 in which DCP-II Dimapur, Dr. Ilayas and Dr. N Simon Dzuvichu, president CAN, were the chief guest and guest of honour of the valedictory programme at DBIDL Hall.
Dr. Fr. CP Anto, Director of Peace Channel, urged the members present to become ‘building blocks for peace.’ He asserted that the experience of being a peace club member should help in shedding the negatives like an eagle which sheds its feathers, talons and beaks to start a new life. He also thanked the chief guest and the guest of honour for consenting to grace the event. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi who once said, ‘We need to start becoming a block for creating peaceful environment,’ he said Peace Festival should help in bringing about small changes in our personal lives.
Dr. N Simon, the guest of honour, spoke on the need of involving youth in the process of peace building. He reflected on studies and experience based on conflict areas and pointed out that youth are very much influenced to become either victims or perpetrators in any conflict situation. He suggested that there should be platform and avenues for structured dialogues which will facilitate youth to be involved in the process of peace building.
‘The involvement of youth in peace building is increasingly felt by the NGOs and Civil Society bodies. It is a welcomed sight to see NGOs coming forward to include youth in the peace building efforts,’ he added. He appreciated the effort of Peace Channel for bringing youth together with this kind of initiatives.
Dr. Ilyas, spoke on the need of inculcating values like religion, love and fraternity which are crucial for building peace.
‘Peace has a strategic value; this value of peace is recognized and made used by peace activist like Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi in their fight against injustice’, he pointed out. He explained on the social capital of peace.
‘History has proven that non violent movements have the capability to create a far reaching effect whereas violent movements tend to die faster’, he added. He asked everyone present to take the value of peace seriously as peace is not just an innocuous or a simple too. But it is a powerful tool to achieve what we strive for.”
The highlights of the programme included cultural dances and folk songs. Rev. Yanbemo Lotha, Pastor of Lotha Baptist Church, Dimapur, invoked God’s blessing for the success of the programme, while James Mavelil, Assistant Director proposed the vote of thanks.
