The initiative, launched on March 2 under the theme “Dialoguing with the Youth in ‘Hotspots’ on Conflict Prevention,” aims to empower youth leaders from communities including Ayawaso East and Gushegu (Kpatinga) to play a leading role in building peace and preventing conflicts before they escalate.

The programme is being implemented by the National Peace Council in partnership with the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, drawing on global expertise such as the Vancouver Principles to strengthen youth engagement in peacebuilding.

Speaking at the launch, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi urged young people to take ownership of the country’s peace and future.

He encouraged participants to become agents of unity and constructive change in their communities.

“Build bridges, not barricades. Foster understanding, not division. Turn anger into action and fear into leadership. Create the future we all seek,” he told the young leaders gathered at the event.

Terlabi also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working alongside youth rather than directing them.

“The Ministry of the Interior stands with you, not to control, but to collaborate; not to silence, but to amplify,” he said. “Let us begin not as officials and participants, but as partners in peace.”

His remarks highlighted a growing shift in peacebuilding approaches, moving from reactive responses to preventive strategies, and from top-down decision-making to youth-led engagement.

Empowering youth to detect early signs of conflict

In his keynote address, Arsene Tshidimu, Project Director for the Promotion of the Vancouver Principles in Sub-Saharan Africa, stressed the importance of listening to young people as part of conflict prevention.

According to Tshidimu, early warning signs of conflict often appear in communities where youth feel excluded, marginalized or unheard.

“Empowering youth is not optional, it is essential for sustainable peace and national stability,” he said.

Over the course of four days, participants received practical training designed to help them address tensions in their communities and promote peaceful dialogue.

The programme is supposed to equip them with skills in conflict analysis, mediation, emotional intelligence, child and youth protection, as well as early warning and early action systems.

Participants will also gain a deeper understanding of how to apply the Vancouver Principles in community-level peacebuilding efforts.