Youth urged to uphold peace, avoid crime

By ANNE ROBI

JUNIOR Chamber International (JCI) Tanzania has planned a national youth forum on peace to inspire young Tanzanians to recognise their responsibility towards creating chances to position peace and stability at the centre of their daily life for a better future.

The forum is also set to encourage youth to lead and take action in supporting the government’s efforts in the development of social and economic projects for the good of the people and the nation. National JCI President, Mr Peter Christopher, made the revelation in Dar es Salaam yesterday,
where he said the forum will be conducted in Dar es Salaam in May, this year. “It is scheduled to take place in May, this year, bringing together youth from different areas, such as higher learning institutions, public and government institutions and those in the communities.
The aim is to discuss and deliberate on the need for building and maintaining peace and stability for development,” he said. Mr Christopher said a similar forum will be conducted in Arusha, Dodoma and Mwanza in order to grant a big number of youth with opportunities for having the chance to learn and position peace and stability at the centre of their debates and shaping their development future.
The JCI boss was speaking during a charity event organised by the body (JCI Tanzania) at Ocean Road Cancer Hospital (ORCH) to help and support patients admitted to the hospital. “We have organised the forum in order to speak to young Tanzanians and inspire them to recognise their responsibility by involving themselves in productive activities,” he said.
Apart from having the forums, JCI also plans to hold peace dialogues in higher learning institutions and peace marathons, with the aim of campaigning for building and maintenance of peace, with the youth leading the endeavour. He said the majority of young Tanzanians have little knowledge on the need for ensuring peace and stability and are therefore easily influenced to destroy peace in the country by engaging in crimes and other destructive acts.
Meanwhile, Mr Christopher urged youth engaging in criminal acts and other negative activities that bring about conflicts in the society to stop and engage themselves in other productive activities for their future development and the nation at large.
“We urge the youth to refrain from being involved in issues meant to tarnish the good image of Tanzania which has been there for a long time, but should support the good things our government is doing in order to achieve the nation’s goals,” he said.