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UNESCO in partnership with ) conducted two community dialogue forums for peace and reconciliation in Yei River on 13 and14 July 2020 and in Torit between 28 and 29 July 2020, under the theme “Strengthening dialogue for peace and reconciliation in South Sudan.”

The forum was attended by over 90 participants drawn from the local media, government and its organized forces like the police, army and national security services, Civil Society Organizations, NGOs, women, youth, chiefs and members from the business community.

The peace forums aimed at strengthening the capacity of local peace actors to identify best practices, proven initiatives and scaling up on those processes to detect, prevent and mitigate communal conflicts. Attention was also placed on the media and its potential to offer alternative platforms for non-violent dialogue and reconciliation and building trust in the media and promoting professionalism and ethics in conflict sensitive reporting.

In his opening remarks, Hon. Luis Lobong Lojore, Governor of Eastern Equatoria State, described the forum as crucial in rebuilding trust and promoting peace and reconciliation in the state.

Mr. Dagu David, Programme Director, Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative said that the purpose of the peace forum was to promote Peace and reconciliation in South Sudan. He called on community journalists to disseminate the right information to the public and practice professionalism in conflict-sensitive reporting.  He further said the forum was meant to encourage open discussions, free sharing of information and to forge a way forward for peace and reconciliation in South Sudan.

To promote peace and reconciliation, participants signed peace pledge cards as a commitment to become peace ambassadors. Engagement of and with community stakeholders such as the leaders, youth, women, business community, CSOs, media and security forces has been an effective approach that has been adopted to encourage community participation in developing lasting solutions that are aimed at addressing community challenges and conflicts and the approach has also yielded ownership and accountability of such initiatives.

Establishing a culture of peace and sustainable development are at the heart of UNESCO’s mandate in South Sudan.  Peace facilitates achievement of sustainable development, democracy and the realization of fundamental rights and freedoms such as freedom of expression and access to information for everyone is made possible.

Additional efforts to promote peace around the country will be embarked on with more peace forums to be held in four other locations. These activities are made possible through the generous support of the UN Peace Building Fund programme.