The UN Peace Building Fund (UNPBF) is supporting the launch of peace campaign materials prepared by the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace at the International Peace Day event today – Wednesday, 28 September 2016.
The international theme of this year’s Peace Day highlights the 17 Sustainable Development Goals – the SDGs – as Building Blocks for Peace.
The new ambitious 2030 agenda calls on countries to begin efforts to achieve these goals over the next 15 years. The Wednesday event at the Maranatha Conference Centre, Burns Creek highlights peace as a building block.
The Sustainable Development Goals are integral to achieving peace, as development and peace are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.
“The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are our shared vision of humanity and a social contract between the world’s leaders and the people,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “They are a to-do list for people and planet, and a blueprint for success.”
Azusa Kubota, Head of UN Joint Presence Office, Solomon Islands hopes that with support we can be sustainable development advocates and spread the word. We are all peace builders and responsible to sustain peace in the Solomon Islands.
The peace campaign materials include 200 thousand posters and stickers with the theme of “one people, one country, one future”. As one of the tools promoting peace and social cohesion the UN Peace Building fund hopes that they will become a feature in Honiara this week. Posters and stickers will be readily available and distributed shortly.
In addition, in cooperation with the Writers Association, and MNURP, the UN is supporting the Talemaot book. Talemaot is an edited anthology of creative writing on peace and conflict by Solomon Islanders from various age groups, gender and ethnic backgrounds, representing the diversity of the country. The writers have sought to create stories that represent experiences common to people from different backgrounds and promote peace.
Launching at the event the writers will hold activities for students and teachers in conjunction with the book’s release. This aims to encourage teachers and students to write and analyse their writings about peace and conflict to both encourage expression, safety and give a voice to youth, usually marginalised from official discourses about peace and conflict. The book launch will then encourage the Minister for Education to comment on these issues and provide a platform for the Ministry of Peace, Reconciliation and National Unity and UNDP to promote messages of peace.
“Talemaot represents Solomon stories of peace and conflict which will create much interest and indeed support in the true spirit of “mekem gud stori” “Good discussions are expected on peace in the education system” said Azusa Kubota
The event is expected to be well supported by Solomon Island peace advocates.
Communications UNPBF,
UN Joint Presence Office, Honiara
