Women Peace Builders to dialogue on building and sustaining peace in Liberia

By Kruah Thompson

The Women Peace Builders has embarked on a momentous journey by organizing an inter-generational dialogue aimed at sharing insights, reflections, and experiences related to building and sustaining peace in Liberia.

Scheduled for Friday, 25 August 2023, the dialogue is set to take place at the Monrovia City Hall. The event carries the overarching theme “Celebrating 20 Years of Peace in Liberia: Women Building and Sustaining Peace Across Generations.”

This meaningful dialogue gains significance as it coincides with the 20th Anniversary of the Accra Peace Agreement, a historic pact signed on 18 August 2003, that marked the end of the second civil war in Liberia and marked the dawn of a new era of peace.

As per a press release dated Tuesday, 22 August 2023, the Women Peace Builders acknowledges the pivotal role played by Liberian women, particularly the ‘Women’s Mass Action for Peace,’ in concluding the second civil war in the nation.

However, the upcoming inter-generational conversation holds the potential to facilitate connections between young women peacebuilders and the trailblazing women who were instrumental in securing peace two decades ago.

This exchange aims to foster a meaningful transfer of experiences and insights, ensuring that the legacy of peace endures.

According to the release, the timing of the 20th Anniversary of the Accra Peace Agreement aligns with Liberia’s preparations for the upcoming presidential and legislative elections scheduled for 10 October 2023.

“This juncture offers a unique opportunity to reiterate the significance of conducting peaceful elections, while also recognizing the invaluable contributions that women have made and continue to make in upholding peace,” the release said.

Furthermore, the statement emphasized that the event also aims to empower and inspire a greater number of women to engage actively in the democratic process.

Moreover, it further stated that without a doubt, this inter-generational dialogue serves as a testament to the collective endeavors of diverse partners dedicated to upholding Liberia’s vision of promoting peace, gender equality, and the empowerment of women.

The event is being sponsored by the Women’s Mass Action for Peace, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Centre (EJS), the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, UN Women, as well as the Embassies of Ireland and Sweden.

As Liberia looks back on two decades of progress and anticipates a future of democratic participation and empowerment, the Women Peace Builders’ inter-generational dialogue according to the release promises to be an essential step toward promoting sustainable peace across generations.