PROCMURA continued with its quest for peace building and religious tolerance among Christian and Muslim youth in Juba, South Sudan also referred to as the youngest nation in Africa after gaining independence in 2011.

Statistics show that in South Sudan, 70% of the population is below the age of thirty (30) years, making its youth a driving force towards the country’s future. Ten (10) years after independence, the country is still waiting for a breakthrough to enable it secure lasting peace as violence continues to rock the country till today. Additionally, young people in the country have over the past years made up a large percentage of combatants or key parties in the growing conflict.

As youth are a pertinent part of PROCMURA’s work, the organisation has continued to create synergies with various stakeholders in various countries across its constituencies in Africa such as churches, mosques, government and security agents to mentor the youth as agents of peace for development across the continent. It does this by creating platforms where the youth can be trained with skills and knowledge on religious tolerance, peace, and development among other cross cutting issues that continue to affect them. The youth are undeniably pivotal players in the transformation of society today.

PROCMURA organized its first-ever youth camp in Juba, the capital city of South Sudan bringing together forty (40) youth from various religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The three-day youth camp was held between 10th to 12th October 2022 at Jebel Lodge in Juba with the theme; “Christian and Muslim Youth of South Sudan for Religious Tolerance, Peace, and Development”.

While officially opening the youth camp, the PROCMURA Area Committee Vice Chairperson Rev. Canon Daniel Deng reiterated the United Nations Security Council Resolution in 2015 on the need and the importance of the inclusion of the youth in peace building processes. He thanked PROCMURA for reaching out to South Sudanese and ensuring that the young people in the country are part of the movement which PROCMURA is creating for Youth Peace Ambassadors across the continent to enable them be part of the decision making processes and have a direct impact and contribution on their future.

Rev. James Bol, PROCMURA’s Area Adviser for South Sudan, mobilised participants as well as hosted the Central Office delegation from Nairobi. In one of the sessions which he facilitated; “Understanding the Religious other for Peaceful Co-existence”, he took the participants through the Christian perspective and the beliefs and practices of christianity while a Muslim Cleric Sheikh Elaish Chang Garkuoth, on the other hand, led the same session from an islamic perspective. Rev Bol urged the youth to be keen to know their neighbors; their beliefs and practices for this will enhance mutual acceptance and appreciation of diversity, both ethnic and religious. He also demystified some of the myths and misconceptions about both Islam and Christianity.

The youth delegates on their part were excited about the programme and looked forward to not only engage with their counterparts from other countries but also appreciated the platform created as well. One of the participants Ms. Victoria, a Christian participant, expressed her happiness and openly admitted that she does not have any Muslim friend because there has never been an opportunity for her to relate with the religious other. She went further to introduce her newly found Muslim friend vowing to keep the friendship.

Most of the participants noted that the main challenges they faced in South Sudan was the problem of negative ethnicity and intolerance which they must all come together and address in such forums as created by PROCMURA.

They challenged local stakeholders within their communities like schools and institutions of higher learning to devolve programmes of this nature to promote a culture of peace for development in their country with the conviction that peace could only come from within and not outside.

Apart from the indoor workshop sessions and interactive conversations, the youth engaged in outdoor team-building activities enabling them to practically understand the art and concept of tolerance and mutual acceptance.

The Team builder Mr. Sabino, took the participants through various activities and sessions. He encouraged the Christian and Muslim youth participants to use the opportunity to build trust with one another.

In the closing ceremony while commissioning the South Sudan PROCMURA Youth Ambassadors, the Team Leader of PROCMURA Ms. Joy Wandabwa urged the youth to be open-minded, to accept and respect their religious diversity for peace and peaceful co-existence and work towards the development of South Sudan. “Let us open our minds and horizons, share ideas, interests and values, and build synergies towards new culture of peace for the development of our country and the welfare of our future generations,” she challenged the young people. 

At the end of the two days of engagement, the youth were awarded certificates of participation.

The new Youth Peace Ambassadors committed to continue the conversation on the role of the youth in cultivating the spirit of religious tolerance, peace and peaceful coexistence for development in their respective communities.