By Binta Jaiteh
As September 21 marked the International Day of Peace, Monday, Brufut Upper Basic and Senior Secondary Schools (USSS) joined the wider world to commemorate this peace day held at the school ground.
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21st September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
However, the conference brought together students and peace advocates to celebrate this global recollection day. This year’s theme is: Shaping Peace Together.
In his opening remark, Ebrima Sanyang, president of Brufut USSS Peace Club described the international Day of Peace as significant, saying “We, therefore, deems it necessary to join the world in celebrating the day because peace is the most important thing in life.”
He portrayed the COVID-19 pandemic as the greatest enemy of mankind in this century and said this year people are not enemies to another rather this invisible disease is the real foe for all people regardless of geographical location.
“Peace is not only about war but there is also more to peace than putting aside arms,” he said, while added that a peaceful environment is a healthy society, secured as well economically stable.
Sanyang called on all and sundry to play a key role in maintaining peace and justice to ensure sustainable tranquillity on earth.
On his presentation, Ousman Fofana, national coordinator for Gambia Family expressed gratitude to Brufut USSS students for celebrating the International Day of Peace.
Fofana said every person is entitled to have peace and live in a peaceful environment, adding that “there is a need for every person to be justice to all to maintain peace in the society.”
“Sustainable peace cannot be attained anywhere on earth without justice,” he said.
The Gambia Family national coordinator said if Gambians are justice as stated in the national anthem, the country would be like Singapore in term of development because her population and size is equal to capital cities of other countries.
Lamin Barra, assistant executive director for Peace Gambia urged all to desist from tribalism and racism to maintain sustainable peace in the country.
“Our identity should not be our various tribes but the Gambia. We are all the same and no person can identify us by looks because we all appear the same,” the peace advocator told the gathering.
He said to have a sustainable peace in the country Gambians should adopt the habit of forgiven one another whenever they have a misunderstanding.
