MONROVIA- Accountability Lab Liberia with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) on Monday, hosted a day-long peace summit for young and elderly people from across six of Liberia’s fifteen counties, calling for more civic education awareness and action of becoming active citizens.
By Francis G. Boayue
The event, to unite Liberians and put aside recent electoral issues caused by the just-ended election was organized by the accountability lab.
The Communication lead at Accountability Lab Ms. Parnneh Mallobe, said the peace summit was organized as part of many initiatives undertaken by the lab in the areas of accountability and good governance, adding that they are also working with the government to ensure the needs of the people are met.
The day-long national reconciliation peace summit with the theme: “Peace and The Rule of Law,” brought together participants from six counties including Bong, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Margibi, Nimba, and Montserrado counties.
The Country Director for Accountability Lab Liberia Mr. Lawrence Yealu, giving the overview of the summit on Monday, March 18, 2024, at Icampus in central Monrovia said the summit is intended to focus on the extent to which civic education has not permeated into the Liberian society and what needs to be done in other to preach messages of being a lawful citizen.
Speaking on tolerance, Yealu said: “It hurts for people to think that everyone should be on one side without being tolerant of respecting the views of others, which is unhealthy for society.
According to him: “In diversity, there is a whole lot of uniqueness and must be appreciated because it is a sad reality that people take afront of people based on their belief and norms which must be abolished and never be entertained in our society.
“If everyone here decides to support a particular party we need not have any election because the healthiness of any community depends on quality debates and personal views,” he said.
Mr. Yealu further encouraged the participants to keep being engaged in every conversation that speaks highly of civic education and be a call to action.
“A call to action is where one takes civic responsibility by becoming active citizens, he said though people know their rights the corresponding responsibility has been the missing link.
The summit was also characterized by a panel discussion where two panelists from both the security sector and civil society and faith-based organizations were present and shared their thoughts about duty to the country.