Over 200 participants, including youth leaders, government officials, and civil society actors, drawn from the North West and south west regions gathered in Buea from October 16 to 18 for a three-day Regional Symposium on Youth Participation in the Peace Process in Cameroon.
The Event, Organized by Local Youth Corner Cameroon in collaboration with the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, aimed to strengthen youth involvement in peace building and post-conflict recovery in the North West and South West Regions
The gathering brought together 160 youth representatives and 40 high level stakeholders from the North-West and South West regions areas most affected by Cameroon’s ongoing crisis. Discussions centered on how young people can actively contribute to stability and inclusive peace processes.
Cross section of participants
The Executive Director of Local Youth Corner Cameroon described the symposium as a continuation of efforts launched in 2019 to highlight and support youth-led peace initiatives across the country.
“We started this process in 2019 with a national symposium and discovered that many young Cameroonians were already doing tremendous peace work that went unnoticed. With Cameroon now developing a national action plan on youth, peace and security, it was important to bring this effort to the North-West and South-West regions, where youth resilience remains strong,” he explained.
After the training sessions, participants discussed ways to promote dialogue, community resilience and inclusive peace.
For Ticha Vanisa, a professional master’s student at the University of Buea, peace begins with listening.
“When I talk about active listening, it’s not only about hearing others when they speak, but understanding what they say. Many conflicts come from miscommunication. When we truly listen and understand each other, we avoid conflict and foster peace,” she said.
Ngufack Temgwa, Communications and Media Specialist at Local Youth Corner Cameroon, stressed the importance of being a role model for others.
“Let your actions and thoughts reflect peace and inspire others to do the same. You can’t give what you don’t have, so be the change you want to see,” she added.
The Regional Delegate of Youth Affairs for the South West Region hailed the initiative as timely, noting that peace is a continuous journey requiring the commitment of both men and women
“Violence is not only perpetrated by men but also by women, so when we preach peace, we address both. This symposium comes at a very timely moment as the nation awaits election results and faces some instability. Peace is a journey, not a destination, and we’ll continue to preach it because it remains a core value of our society”.
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