By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
An NGO,Participation Initiative for behavioural change in development (PIBCID),says it has distributed empowerment materials to over 70700 women, Children, youth, herders and people with disabilities across 22 communities in kogi State since 2017.
Commemorating the 2022 International Day of Peace in Lokoja recently, Akande Rasheed Remilekun , the Ag. Executive Director, PIBCID, in a statement available to The Reporters in Lokoja on Tuesday recalled that the Day began in 1981 but the organisation joined the celebration in 2017.
Our Correspondent gathered that
the theme of this year’s celebration; “End Racism, Build Peace” attracted paper presentation by scholars who harped the need for peace and security for the survival of humanity.
According to the Ag.Executive Director, PIBCID has also recorded laudable achievements and peaceful coexistence in poor, excluded and marginalized communities of the State.
“Our organisation has been able to reach and change the lives of over 50,000 women, 10,000 children, 500 persons with disabilities, 10,000 youths as well as 200 herdsmen across 22 communities in Kogi State, where we have worked.
“We are equally targeting more beneficiaries, especially orphans and persons with disabilities in no distant future.
“International peace day is dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace through non-violent extremist approach, address hate speeches and violence directed at racial minorities,” the NGO’s boss said.
She disclosed that the aim of PIBCID was also to speak out against hate speeches and promote message of anti-racism through media publications.
Akande said:“This year’s theme: End Racism and build Peace remains key and relevant today considering the discriminatory or abusive behaviour towards one another in our society.
“We need to be conscious of the fact that, we are created by God to share experiences equally, to live in peace and harmony with one another, irrespective of our religious groups or beliefs, ethnically, culturally and traditionally, tribe, colour or height.
“Peace means freedom from disturbance; a time of tranquillity when you are not disturbed by anyone or anything.
“Peace involves understanding each other and working together to find solutions to problems. Any other approach to dealing with difficult issues that cause pain and suffering. So International Day of Peace exists to remind us of the benefits of peaceful co-existence.
“On global and individual level, peace requires respect and compassion. The importance of respect and acting kindly towards one another is a key factor and relevant to International Day of Peace.
According to her, there cannot be sustainable development and prosperity without, first and foremost, having peaceful communities and a peaceful world.
She urged the people on the need to bring to the fore,” those things that unite us rather than those that separate and divide us .
” With peace, we are bound to witness sustainable development.
“Our world has been pressing issues that need solutions.
“Therefore, we need to have Innovative Leadership, (IL) competencies to harness our creative ingenuity to bring about transformative changes in all sectors to propel society towards a prosperous future.
She called on Kogites, Nigerians and the whole world at large ” to seek peace, build peace, preach peace, act peace, walk in peace, sleep with peace, eat and drink peace.”Shun racism, violence, cultist activities, criminal act that can dent our collective image”
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