MYS, GBOWEE PEACE FOUNDATION EXPLORE COLLABORATION ON YOUTH, PEACE AND SECURITY MONROVIA, LIBERIA

MYS, GBOWEE PEACE FOUNDATION EXPLORE COLLABORATION ON YOUTH, PEACE AND SECURITY
MONROVIA, LIBERIA

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Atty. Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah, has held a meeting with Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee to explore areas of collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) and the Gbowee Peace Foundation around Liberia’s Youth, Peace and Security agenda.

The meeting, held on Monday, September 28, followed a request from Nobel Laureate Gbowee and provided an opportunity for the two sides to become better acquainted with each other’s work, particularly the peacebuilding and youth focused initiatives of the Gbowee Peace Foundation.

Minister Kruah said the engagement was also intended to identify practical areas where the Ministry and the Foundation can work together to advance youth participation in peacebuilding and strengthen the role of young people in promoting peace and security in Liberia.

According to the Minister, the discussion identified several potential areas of convergence, with both sides agreeing to begin a technical assessment and continue discussions around projects that could be jointly implemented beginning in 2027.

A key area of convergence is the proposed National Youth Peace Jam, which is being envisioned for August 18, 2027. The date marks the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Accra, Ghana, on August 18, 2003, which brought an end to Liberia’s civil war and laid the foundation for the country’s post war peacebuilding process.

Minister Kruah said the Ministry and the Gbowee Peace Foundation will begin discussions and planning toward a national Youth Peace Jam to commemorate the significance of the date while providing a platform for young Liberians to engage in conversations and activities around peace, reconciliation, leadership and national cohesion.

“The Ministry of Youth and Sports is driving the Youth, Peace and Security agenda for the country, and we believe there are important areas where we can collaborate with the Gbowee Peace Foundation,” Minister Kruah said.

She added that the proposed Youth Peace Jam will be one of the major areas of convergence, while noting that discussions will also continue around other initiatives that advance youth, peace and security.

The engagement forms part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to strengthen partnerships and create opportunities for young people to play a meaningful role in Liberia’s peacebuilding and national development efforts.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Gbowee Peace Foundation are expected to continue technical discussions in the coming months as they assess potential areas of collaboration and develop initiatives for implementation beginning in 2027.