The National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM-UNESCO), in collaboration with key security agencies, has emphasised peace education and cultural reorientation as key strategies for addressing Nigeria’s growing violence and insecurity.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day national conference on Wednesday in Mararaba, the Secretary-General of NATCOM-UNESCO, Mr Lateef Olagunju, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to fostering peace and unity in Nigeria.
The conference was themed, “Peace Education and Cultural Reorientation as a Panacea to Curbing Violence in Nigeria”.
It brought together participants from the education sector, the Nigeria Police Force, Peace Corps of Nigeria, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Olagunju said the aim was to address the root causes of violence through education, dialogue, and sustained grassroots engagement.
“In line with UNESCO’s global mission to build peace in the minds of men and women, we come together with renewed commitment to advancing peace, promoting cultural understanding, and tackling the conflicts threatening our national coexistence,” he said.
He noted the conference as a forward-thinking initiative to embed a culture of empathy, tolerance, and mutual respect, especially among young people.
“Our goal is to equip educators, civil society actors, and community influencers with the knowledge and tools required to become champions of peace within their communities,” Olagunju added.
He also highlighted NATCOM-UNESCO’s ongoing grassroots peacebuilding efforts, including awareness campaigns, school and market outreach, motor park engagements, community service projects, and roadshows.
“This conference aims to move beyond identifying problems; it is about finding enduring solutions. Peace education and cultural reorientation can offer sustainable answers to the challenges we face,” he said.
On his part, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, urged Nigerians to embrace the nation’s cultural diversity as a source of strength rather than division.
Ochogwu, who was represented by Dr Olalekan Babatunde, Head of the Directorate of External Conflict Prevention and Resolution, called for a strategic roadmap to integrate peace education and cultural reorientation into Nigeria’s broader development agenda.
Also speaking, the Director of Educational Planning, Research, and Development at the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Obiajunu Anigbogu, urged Nigerians to adopt peace education and cultural reorientation as core strategies for reducing violence.
Anigbogu, who was represented by the Ministry’s Deputy Director of Planning, Mrs Susan Aregbesola, outlined the conference as both “timely and essential”.
She said the nation was at a crossroads where misunderstanding, cultural dissonance, and bias were becoming too widespread to ignore.
“In a world increasingly torn by intolerance and division, there is an urgent need to return to the core values that define our shared humanity, peace, empathy, mutual respect, and cultural appreciation,” she stated.
She noted that the initiative aligns with UNESCO’s mandate to promote peace, cultural diversity, dialogue, and sustainable development.
“Peace is more than just the absence of violence. It requires justice, understanding, and the presence of shared values,” she added.
Anigbogu emphasised that peace education and cultural reorientation are essential in rebuilding the moral and social fabric of society, challenging harmful norms and encouraging constructive dialogue over division. (NAN)
