PHNOM PENH: 22nd September 2006 -- Youth for Peace (YFP), a
local youth NGO in Phnom Penh with membership at the nationwide level,
aims to bring about peace and social justice in Cambodia through the
development of good role models and active citizenship by youth who
understand and practise the culture of peace.
From 14th to 19th September 2006, SYM Cambodia
hosted the logistics for 200 young people for their Peace
Conference. The theme was "The way to lose an enemy is to make
him your friend". The 200 Buddhist, Muslim and Christian
participants had the opportunity to think over and share their ideas
about peace, social justice, democracy and human rights. The
conference was opened by His Excellency Chey Chap, undersecretary of
the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and consisted in plenary
input by experts, workshops and cultural shows by participants.
Issues such as gang-related violence, crime, drugs, HIV/AIDS,
trafficking of women and children for sex, and many youth related
topics, were discussed and reflected on.
At the end of the Conference the participants were
able to identify their roles in society, build relationships and
solidarity as they explored the positive and negative aspects of
conflicts and events around them.
At the final and closing ceremony of Peace
Celebration, Fr Leo Ochoa, the SYM Cambodia Coordinator, shared his
meanings of peace. "Peace", he said, "is the balance of head, heart and
hands". At the candle-lit celebration he said that "youth is the candle
of hope. Youth is the peace of the family, society and the world.
The role of youth is to shine light for other members of the family,
society and the world, to be peace-givers and makers".
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