Lagos, Nigeria - On the UN International Day of Families, the Youth Federation for World Peace organized a one-day seminar and ceremony commissioning new Ambassadors for Peace.
As the United Nations marks the International Day of Families, Youth Federation for World Peace, an affiliate of the Universal Peace Federation in Nigeria, held a seminar, award ceremony, and dinner on May 15 at the University of Lagos main Auditorium. It commissioned several Nigerians with the honor of International Ambassadors for Peace, linking to the UN self-help program for the renewal of individuals, families, and nations.
The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, gave the theme for the year 2010 as ‘The impact of migration on families around the world.’ The Youth Federation for World Peace of Nigeria has an ongoing program called ‘The Nigeria we want.’ We chose sub-topics for the occasion: the family as an indispensable model for good governance, good leadership, and peace in the 21st century; divisible emphasis on ‘unitary religion’; and state of origin and challenges to unity when families move around in the Nigerian states.
The guests invited to the one-day event included Chief Ernest Shonekan, Former President of Federal Republic of Nigeria and his wife as honorary grandparents for the day; Chief Amb. Segun Olusola, founder of the African Refugees’ Foundation, as the chairman of the occasion; and Professor Adetokunbo Sofoluwe, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, as guest speaker.
This event showcased three generations. Grandparents, parents and aspiring parents shall be represented to complete the flow of mentorship within the family. Twenty-five representative couples and ‘aspiring couples’ who have been role models to youths in terms of family values in spite of their achievements as ‘super stars’ in their field of endeavors recommitted themselves to their lifelong relationship by each couple sharing a glass of wine for a toast together. Afterwards, some distinguished Nigerians were commissioned as international Ambassadors for Peace.
The international Ambassador for Peace nominees were carefully selected by the national executive body of the Youth Federation for World Peace-Nigeria in recognition of their past work to promote family values, peace, and progress in Nigeria. More importantly, they have been given a global commission to work for peace, complementing the mission of the United Nations. In addition to the Vice Chancellor of the University, the list includes Kanu Nwanko, captain of The Super Eagles, Nigeria's national football team, along with his wife; Victor Ikpeba, former Super Eagles striker; Adaure Achumba, STV personality; and Adeola Austin Oyinlade, a University of Lagos law undergraduate student, on-air personality, and researcher about UN Millennium Development Goals who has been commended by the UN for his work.
The Youth Federation for World Peace showcases such demonstrations of enduring love as active ingredients of sustainable peace and models for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and renewal of the United Nations.
For more information about UPF chapters' celebrations of the International Day of Families, click here.