Young people
from varied backgrounds have united at a common platform for a noble cause.
Local Capacity for Peace (LCP) South Asian Network Youth convention began today
to express solidarity, coexistence and peace among South Asian youth.
Participants from Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan
and India
are representing nine organisations that belong to this network in the three
days event.

UMN’s Peace
Building Team Leader Balkumari Gurung shares, “I am very happy because we are
co-hosting this event for the first time. In the next stage of LCP we are
working in youth empowerment, leadership and capacity building. Every
participant is working in the area of peace in their respective countries and
they will share and learn from each other’s experiences. At the end of the
programme, they will make a South Asian Youth resolution.”

Welcoming the
participants, Madhu Thapa, UMN’s Learning, Policy and Strategy Team Leader said
that the role of youth in any area particularly in peace building couldn’t be
more important as they are the hope for the future.

“The event
has been formatted to promote youth leadership. I hope we will be able to use richness
of our experiences by listening and through collective learning and sharing. I
encourage you to connect with each other, challenge ideas and perceptions, raise
questions and find solution together,” he expressed.

Suresh
Satapathy, LCP Secretariat explained that the nine organisations strive to
bring Do No Harm principle, conflict sensitivity to their development
programmes and organisation system.

Addressing
the participants he further shared, “This is the age where you learn your
future roles. You play critical roles to rebuild lives, reintegration and most
importantly for peacebuilding. You will get to share and understand the commonalities
and diversities of our region. You will decide how you will want to take this
LCP Asian Youth platform forward and what role you will play in this network in
future.”