The program, designed to bolster youth capabilities, combined cutting-edge AI education with peace leadership training, equipping participants with tools to foster community development and promote peace.
IPYG, a global youth organization active in 128 countries, launched the YEPC in 2020. Since then, it has engaged over 3,000 participants from approximately 60 nations, offering annual peace education on topics relevant to youth.
This year's sessions, held in March, included an AI Practical Training on March 15, where participants explored the significance of artificial intelligence and learned to use tools like ChatGPT in various fields.
A week later, on March 22, the Youth Leadership Training highlighted historical youth-led peace movements, emphasizing the pivotal role young people have played in social transformation and peacebuilding.
Rwandan youth were among those who benefited from these initiatives, joining peers from South Sudan, Timor-Leste, and beyond in gaining skills to become future 'peace leaders.'
The program aims to inspire sustainable progress in their regions, with participants encouraged to extend their learning through educational outreach and peace campaigns that ripple from local communities to a global stage.
The YEPC aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of Quality Education and supports UNESCO's lifelong learning objectives, offering valuable opportunities to youth worldwide.
Stories of young leaders who sparked change during times of war and conflict were shared during the training, underscoring their contributions to civil rights and democratization movements.
A key influence in the program was Chairman Lee of HWPL, IPYG's partner organization, whose belief that 'the voice of one person who has experienced war can change the world' left a lasting impression. His wartime experiences reinforced the urgency of peace, a message that resonated with attendees.
Kuir Michael Riak, a participant from South Sudan and National Coordinator of South Sudan Students for Liberty, praised the training's impact.
'Attending the YEPC has been an incredibly enriching experience,' he said.
'The peace leadership session directly addressed the challenges faced by my community. It reinforced the crucial role of youth networks in uniting citizens for grassroots peace initiatives and inspired me to drive meaningful change.'
For Rwandan youth and others, the program shifted perspectives, positioning them as active agents of peacebuilding rather than passive societal members.
With the mantra 'the future of peace starts with today's youth' echoing throughout, IPYG's efforts are planting seeds for a more peaceful world, one empowered young leader at a time.
IGIHE
