It always makes me cry

When I hear of young children

being hurt without a cause

with no hand of justice to help.

It always makes me cry

when I see suffering and poverty

in this part of the world

where there is sufficiency.

It always hurt that bad

when I hear of war, war, war

with no room left for peace.

But Mother says it will be better soon

and this makes me wonder

why it can’t just be better now.

Let Peace rain into this land,

Peace, Peace! I want Peace!

© 2004 Jennifer Ehidiamen

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What was the crux of the event? Was it the Bee-Bee Demo led by Kathleen Sullivan, Educational Consultant to the Office for Disarmament Affairs that sent chills down our spine as the sound of what the state of the world will be, the ruin caused by War, if government leaders and all war lords refuse to disarm now for a better world? Was it the presentations by young people from all around the world? or everything?

During this year’s International Day of Peace student observance session at the United Nations HQ in New York, The One World Youth Project was one of the organizations that led a delegate of High School Students to participate in the event.  After the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon’s message on the need to "disarm now for a better world", and remarks by prominent adults such as Dr. Jane Goodall, UN Messenger of Peace, the discussion forum moderated by Alexandra Francis of Peace Academy ensued.

This consisted of presentations by students at UN Peacekeeping missions via video conference- “When Flowers are killed No conscience can rest” the Iraqi youth postulated.  And the Congolese students in Goma reaffirmed this by presenting “The impact of Armed Conflict on Development of Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.” In a more relaxing but equally important message, the Sudanese students performed a Drama and Song on Disarmament. And then came Liberian students’ “We have suffered enough”.

It was obvious how powerful technology has become to the extent of connecting young people from all around the world simultaneously, to share ideas on how to move the world forward, from the current state of derision, anger, greed and hate that causes war. It was a very intense event.

Another thing that amazed me in the course of the event, was when during the question and answer session, a young girl in the UN HQ asked the Liberian students “…what can we do to help you…?” It was an innocuous question but the hall went silent. I sat on the edge of my sit. Anticipating what the answer coming from the other side of the world will be…I held my breathe… waiting, waiting. Did they not hear the question? Why haven’t anyone stood up to answer? We all watched the big screen, everyone waiting for the answer. "What can we do to help" was the question.

And then it came! A young girl walked up to the microphone. We all saw her approach and heard her speak. She echoed the very thought we all share in this field. In my words, she pointed out that the only way young people around the world can help is by making sure they pass on the message of Peace. She advised young people around the world to build bridges instead of walls. She also advised us to collaborate more. It is no longer a matter of one continent thinking they hold the solution to the world’s problem, it is about everyone taking personal responsibility. It is no longer about one group sending aids to another but about Collaboration and Partnership. She spoke once but twice have we heard her words. It is no longer about "how can we help", but about understanding, to applied empathy...through collaboration.

It is through collaboration that we can effect a positive change in the world. Happy International Day of Peace! Spread the message of Peace not war!