By: Akoi M. Baysah, Jr.
Messengers of Peace–Liberia (MOP-Liberia), in collaboration with the African Union (AU), will host a Youth Strategy Forum on Peacebuilding and the Right to Development from December 19–21, 2025, at the Cape Hotel in Monrovia, bringing together young leaders from across the country to strengthen youth participation in peace and development processes.
The three-day forum will convene youth representatives from all 15 counties, alongside regional partners, civil society actors, and peacebuilding practitioners, to deliberate on youth-driven solutions for sustainable peace in post-conflict societies. Organizers say the forum is designed to position young people at the center of national and regional peacebuilding efforts while advancing dialogue on inclusive development.
A key focus of the discussions will be the Right to Development, which participants will examine as a cornerstone for social cohesion, economic recovery, and long-term stability.
Sessions will explore how equitable access to education, livelihoods, and civic participation can reduce conflict risks and empower communities, particularly in fragile and post-conflict settings such as Liberia.
The initiative is being led by Ms. Gwendolyn S. Myers, Executive Director of MOP-Liberia, in partnership with the AU Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security.
As part of the forum, organizers will also launch a Quick Impact Project (QIP) aimed at supporting youth-led peacebuilding initiatives, enabling participants to translate dialogue into tangible community-based actions.
The forum will officially open with remarks from Hon. Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, Liberia’s Minister of Education, who is expected to highlight the critical link between education, youth empowerment, and sustainable peace. Her address will underscore the role of education in equipping young people with the skills and values necessary to contribute meaningfully to national development and conflict prevention.
The Youth Strategy Forum reflects a growing commitment by national and continental institutions to recognize and harness the potential of young people as key stakeholders in peacebuilding.
MoP believe the outcomes will help inform policy discussions while strengthening networks of youth leaders working to promote peace and development across Liberia.
