Programme Director YMCA
By Landing Ceesay
The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Gambia has on Monday called for peace ahead of December 4th Presidential election.
Priscilla HD Dunn, Programme Director YMCA said they are advocating a peaceful presidential election in December and a Parliamentary election in April 2022.
“We are advocating for a peaceful presidential election in December 2021 and a Parliamentary election in April 2022. Consequently, we have chosen the conference being the peaceful Gambia for a peaceful election. The YMCA Gambia is committed to engaging diverse groups in our communities, sustaining peacebuilding advocacy to preserve an environment and peaceful coexistence as we approach the forthcoming election. During the election and post-election period.
“We are all aware that the past couple of months up to the present the Gambia continues to witness dramatic happenings as we trying to get together on unique bumping roads of Gambia’s election yearning and democracy. Many tensions have arisen already, some remain unsettled. Let us set aside our negative selfish interest and pledge to work together for the Gambia our homeland,” Priscilla HD Dunn stated.
Talking about the roles of young people in peacebuilding, John Charles Njie, Executive Director YMCA said young people should be given an opportunity that will turn their lives around.
“If only our countries in Africa, If only our governments in the Gambia can create opportunities for young people, give them safe space, give them the tools they need, the young people can turn their lives around. When we talk about work for peace, we are talking about creating opportunities so that young people will not get into the vices that are open to them. That can attract them to become a nuisance in society and not a development partner or an asset to their societies,” John Charles Njie said.
The YMCA Gambia in partnership with the YMCA Finland organised a youth peace and conference under the theme: “Peaceful Elections for a Peaceful Gambia” at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Centre on 11th October 2021.
The association earlier in June this year in a peace building and peace campaign, brought some prominent Muslim and Christians, religious leaders, together with a variety of religious youth groups in an inter-faith dialogue conference