Youth Icons — Ghana, in collaboration with Family Tree Entertainment,
is putting together a nationwide musical project to promote peace and
non-violence in the run up to the December 7 general election.

This project is being spearheaded by Bice Osei Kufuor, known in the showbiz circles as Obuor and Nana Osei-Darkwa,Executive Director of Youth Icons-Ghana,an NGO committed to the wellbeing of the youth .

The project, which be in two formats, namely the ‘One Ghana’ peace song to be relayed on the national television, will run till February, next year.

The song, produced and sang by Obuor, underscores the importance of the youth to take part in active politics whilst avoiding violence.

The activities kick off in Bawku in the Upper East Region on September 18 with musical performances, gifts of memorabilia and souvenirs on peace and radio programmes to preach peace.

There will also be a float through some principal towns in the region to campaign for peace, film shows, one of which will be "Sometime in April", a film on the Rwandan genocide, a one mile peace march, Muslim and Christian prayers.

These activities, to be replicated in all the other regions throughout the country, will culminate in the grand event on December 6 with the ‘One Ghana’ Peace watch night at which the various presidential aspirants will be expected to take the platform in turn to deliver peace messages to encourage their supporters to remain calm and avoid violence.

of Africa’s longest and bloodiest civil wars, reminded Ghanaians that every society is at risk of violence and insecurity.

He referred to the genocide in Rwanda, as well as the wars in Darfur, Somalia and Kenya, among others, as lessons Ghana should learn from and thus endeavour to emphasise the need for peace.

He said in the 14-year Liberian war, 200,000 people died while a lot more were displaced and the country’s economy devastated.

He congratulated the youth on initiating the project in view of the fact that it is often the same youth who are used by selfish politicians to cause mayhem.

He noted that if Liberia had embraced the culture of non-violence, she would not have gone the way it did.

Delivering the keynote address, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa, noted that as humans, "we have all contributed to the creation of a breeding ground for violent behaviour which is inhibiting economic and social development.

"I believe that in order to achieve a new society that values peace and rejects the profanity of violence, peace education must be far more widely and creatively promoted and access to it increased."

He emphasised the need for every person to be a part of the process towards peace and not to leave that to government alone stressing, "peace is a shared responsibility."

"In truth, there is simply no alternative to public/private sector collaboration in promoting and sustaining peace, if we are to continue to maintain our own security’, he stressed.

He hoped that the project will inspire many changes, especially at the grassroots.

Mr. Osei-Darkwa acknowledged the enormity of the project, saying about Ghana GH¢700,000 was required to fund the four –month project and called on all Ghanaians and non Ghanaians to support the initiative.

Bice Osei-Kufuor said the youth of Ghana are priceless asset and can significantly contribute to the development of the country.

He described the tour round the country as very important saying that very respectable people would take part in the whole process and encourage more people to remain peaceful.

The launch was attended by the youth leadership of the various political parties.