[Photo: MOLLYN NAKABEA]

In commemoration of World Peace Day, youth leaders are being urged to invest in peace by understanding and respecting each other despite differences.

This was shared by Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica during the opening of the Youth Peace Forum.

Kamikamica says peacebuilding requires young leaders who can maintain peace in spite of opposing views and disagreements.

“Fiji needs young leaders with character. Young leaders who can disagree without becoming enemies, young leaders who can compete without destroying institutions, young leaders who can understand both rights and responsibilities, and young leaders who can sit around the table with someone who does not share their views and still find common ground.”

He says the principle of democracy cannot survive if every disagreement becomes hostile.

“We must learn to distinguish between disagreement and division. Between criticism and hatred. Between political competition and national destruction. And perhaps most importantly, between winning an argument and building a nation. Young people must also understand the world beyond Fiji.”

Kamikamica says that while youths are known as the future of the nation, they are also the present leaders of today.

He says youths need to become part of decision-making rather than simply participating in platforms.

Sometimes, governments, institutions, and organisations invite young people into a room, give them a microphone, take some photos, issue a communique, and then return to making the decisions exactly as they intended before the young people arrived. That is participation without influence. That is representation without responsibility. That is consultation without consequence, and ultimately, risks of becoming tokenism.”

Kamikamica encouraged the young leaders to always choose dialogue before hostility and reconciliation over resentment.

The Youth Peace Forum brings together community youth leaders from around the country in discussion key topics such as peacebuilding, gender equality and climate action.