International Day of Peace   |21 September 2023

‘In unity, we can shape Peace together’

Each year, the International Day of Peace is observed worldwide on September 21.

Locally, the International Day of Peace Committee (Seychelles) has organised two events under the United Nations’ chosen theme: ‘Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals.’

These activities will take place on Peace Day (today) as follows;

(i) ‘My sustainable tree’ planting at the Mont Fleuri playing field, from 9.30am, followed by

(ii) Peace Day ceremony at the Peace Park in Victoria, from 3pm.

As Seychellois, we are called to celebrate the day by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope, together with the rest of the Global Village.

As the National Unity Advocate (NUA), Seychelles, I am calling on all Seychellois to UNITE under the United Nations’ 2023 theme and have a common vision for PEACE. “In UNITY, we can shape Peace together. If we all have a change of mindset, attitude, and a common vision towards PEACE, then the World would surely be a better place to live in!

This year, my message is geared towards the Youth, not just of my beloved country, Seychelles, but across the Globe. Youths (especially children) as change agents must be spiritually minded/geared to reflect and mirror GOD’s Peace here on earth. Peace must come from within and children must willingly avail themselves to share this ‘inner peace’ with others. In doing so, love and a sense of justice will be proclaimed, within their school environment, and also in the community. In addition, humans have been endowed with thinking and reasoning abilities, coupled with moral and spiritual capabilities. That is why we can appreciate the grandeur of the universe and the wonders of nature, as well as art, music and poetry, coupled with the reasoning for peace. Our inner peace is based on the unique capacity to worship our Creator.

In the eyes of Peace, all children should be treated equally and with equal chances to develop into who they want to be! Children should strive to become ‘persons of value’ to serve the people for the betterment of society.

As a child, one needs to be founded on the quality of being trusted and believed in. A parent’s greatest wish is for the child to develop into a person of value and become a leader in their field of work or way of life.

Children, and gearing to be change agents, need to know that leadership is the ability to influence the behaviour of others through inspiration, so as to strive willingly for the achievement of a group goal. Children, let us grow up to be good role models of society, in bringing about positive sustainable change in a non-violent way.

My dream is for all the children of Seychelles and around the World to take a committed stance for Peace on September 21, 2023 and commit ourselves to take a stand against violence and to avoid conflicts at all costs. Let us ‘love ourselves first,’ nurture Peace in our hearts, and spread it to our brothers and sisters from that day till the next International Day of Peace 2024.

Remember, “tomorrow’s stakeholders are today’s children” (Muralidhar, 2018).

WISHING ALL SEYCHELLOIS, A BLESSED INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE!

Jacob Terence Madeleine

National Unity Advocate