Young South Sudanese urged to share messages of peace not war
South Sudanese youth are being encouraged to use social media to promote messages of peace rather than deepening divisions by sharing hate speech.
Speaking at a Youth Peace Conference in the Lakes town of Rumbek, United Nations Mission in South Sudan Human Rights Officer, John Oziegbe, urged the young people present to play a leadership role in uniting individuals and communities across the country.
“Use social media to promote peace. In your daily interactions, spread messages of peace, not war,” said Mr Oziegbe. “Spread messages of love, not hate speech.”
State Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Stephen Mathiang Deng said, as the majority of the population, young people could lead the way, particularly in changing perceptions about South Sudanese society.
He appealed to the young people to ensure that peace prevailed within the region and across the country. “Be the agents of change,” he said. “We need to change our way of doing things.”
Organised by UNMISS’ field office in Rumbek, the theme of the conference was “Youth Ready For Peace”. It brought together more than 40 young people representing 11 counties within western Lakes.