ADNews-Monrovia: The Liberia National Students Union (LINSU) launched its first Youth Peace-Building Initiative under the theme: “Digital Bridge-Enhancing Peace-building and Advocates through Technology” which aims to conduct training in human rights, peace-building, gender advocates through technology to spread the message against misinformation and disinformation in Liberia through the social media. The Launch took place at the Matilda New Port Junior High School in Central Monrovia on Friday, November 15, 2024, attended by scores of students and LINSU executives.
By Kelvin Gonlah
Giving an overview of the program, the Project manager Mr. Alvin M. Faika, Jr. said the program specifically aims to provide training opportunities in human rights, peace-building, and gender advocates through technology to avoid the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media; providing an aid of e-library for high school students in Liberia.
“LINSU as a primary body for students’ activities has been authorized to conduct training in human rights, peace-building gender advocates through technology to stop the spread of misinformation and disinformation in Liberia. After this training, you will be able to counter some of this information through social media or other social networks”, Mr. Alvin Faika, Jr. stated during the official of the program.
“We also launched a youth-led radio show that will be able to propagate the message of peace and civil engagement. We have procured some computers which will be used for a digital library. We have observed that most of our schools are still living in an analog era and is important in the 21st century to enhance technology”, the program manager added.
The Secretary General of the National Students’ Union (LINSU), Darius Toweh added that the Liberia National Students Union has long acknowledged the critical and crucial roles that technology plays in advancing peace-building, quality education, and national sustainable development. He maintained that technology is an invaluable tool that breaks down borders, brings people together, and serves as a powerful means for young people to advocate for the positive change and transformation they envisage.
“Today we are acknowledging and harnessing this strength of digital platforms to bridge communities, foster understanding, and support the peace-building efforts that are essential to creating a stable and inclusive future for Liberia. This Youth peace-building project that we are launching today also highlights the building of online and offline platforms because digital platforms and social media foster dialogue between conflicting parties and help spread awareness about peace initiatives across the world of the many significance of technology” LINSU SG told the gathering during the official launch of the program.
He further noted that digital advocacy will help to ensure that voices that might otherwise go unheard will have a platform where important messages can be amplified and that the youth can be at the forefront of leading meaningful change in society.
“Let us remember that peace is not just the absence of conflict, peace is about creating spaces for dialogue, about mutual respect, and about ensuring that every voice is valued and heard. Through technology, we can build those reaching beyond geographical boundaries, understand one another better as one people”, LINSU SG said.
“Together, as we embark on this initiative, LINSU looks forward to seeing our young leaders rise to this challenge, equipped with new skills and perspectives that will help shape the future of our institution and nation. We excited to see how this initiative will unfold and we are confident that it will inspire many to advocate for peace and justice in our communities and beyond, especially as the students and Young people of Liberia are poised to acquire basic knowledge and skills in peace and conflict mitigation and solution as well as learning, applying and advocating for their inherent rights as students as provided for in Many international instruments to include the United Nations (UN) Declaration of Human Rights, 1986 constitution of Liberia”, Mr. Toweh echoed.
The Project manager of Youth Peace-building Initiative (YPI-Mont) Mr. Claudius Thompson officially launched the training and said it’s an exciting moment for him to launch such a great initiative that will help impact the youths through technology and use social media as a power tool to spread the message of peace-building, gender advocates through technology.
“You will have access to e-learning platforms right to your Smartphones, you will connect to your hotspot and all the books will open. You have the Liberian constitution, biology books, books from e-commerce, and a lot more digital marketing. Some of those courses don’t need the internet, and that all helps in your digital capacity building. we want you to be able after high school to be marketable not to go around and look for a job, but you can do something for yourself. You can open your e-commerce store and sell goods and services online, and you don’t need to have a physical supermarket. You can build a platform where people can buy goods and services; creating local content that is relatable to Liberians. This project is launched to combat misinformation and disinformation in Liberia”, the YPI project manager emphasized.
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