Kinshasa, 21 September 2010 – The entire world celebrated the UN International Peace Day 2010, dedicated to cease-fire and non-violence every year. The year 2010's theme, 'Youth for Peace and Development' also coincides with the launch of the International Year of Youth. Various activities were organised by MONUSCO and its partners to mark the day across the DRC.

The United Nations Secretary-General's message highlighted that 'Peace is a precious commodity' which needed 'nurturing and protecting.' In the same spirit, sessions were organised in Kinshasa to reflect on youth's contribution to lasting peace-building, sustainable development, dialogue and mutual understanding as well as their responsibility in enhancing respect for human rights.

MONUSCO Chief, Roger Meece exhorted the Congolese youth by saying: "Please join efforts to promote peace, put your energy in service of peace, make your projects and ideas known, be imaginative and enthusiastic, and help us restore peace and prosperity for all."

The Special Representative also declared, "We are happy to note that substantial progress has been made. If peace has not been achieved completely, it is however a reality for majority of the country and the Congolese people."

The DRC National Youth Committee's representative announced the adoption and launch of a National Action Plan for Congolese Youth on 21 September, thereby requesting private and public as well as national and international partners' support.

According to him, 'every young person in the world this year must be aware of one's role of participation in the transformation process of one's society. He said that youth of the DRC have the responsibility of contributing innovating ideas and their huge potentials in raising a society built on peace, dialogue, mutual understanding and development."

It is in this context that the DRC Youth Parliament and the National Youth Committee, with MONUSCO's support, have launched on 21st September, a national essay contest for all the Congolese youth, aged between 15 and 25, to collect their views on peace-building, lasting development and on creating a world of dialogue and mutual understanding among the DRC's youth. The competition is due to end on December 10, 2011.