IPCR Collaborates on Peace-building Game for Children, Young People

By: Michael Mike

A game for children and young people to learn, engage, and apply peace-building tools such as dialogue, mediation, tolerance, and inclusion has commenced.

The game, Peace Creatives Competition Nigeria 2025 commenced in Abuja on Thursday as part of activities to mark the International Day of Peace and was a collaboration of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and Idimuwem Peace and Governance Initiative (IPGI).

The competition themed “Unity and Prosperity in Diversity.” was organized in Abuja in collaboration with Gender Mobile, NGYouthSDGs, BUPRI, Youth Alive Foundation, and Girls Get Equal.

Convener of the competition, Uduak-Abasi Akpabio, said the initiative provides a platform for children and young people to learn, engage, and apply peacebuilding tools such as dialogue, mediation, tolerance, and inclusion.

She said: “Peace cannot simply be wished into existence. Like swimming, reading, or any life skill, peace must be taught, nurtured, and practiced,” adding that the competition is designed to build capacity through information, skills, and practice.

She further explained that entries will not be limited by language, with participants free to express themselves in English, Pidgin, local dialects, dance, or performance. Online submissions via WhatsApp and email have also been introduced to remove barriers to access.

Now in its fourth edition, the competition has been expanded to include two categories—ages 16–20 and 21–25—and will run nationwide through IPCR’s six regional offices.

“Our first competition targeted children, where art proved the most effective medium for expression. With the help of education specialists and psychologists, we ensured materials were child-friendly and tailored to their level.

“By the second competition, we saw the importance of partnerships, moving beyond Abuja into classrooms across the states, reaching more children through collaboration with organizations at the grassroots.

“The third competition reinforced the need for diversity and inclusion, we ensured gender sensitivity and access for children with special needs.

“This year marks the fourth competition. We have refined our structure, dividing participants into two categories: ages 16–20 and 21–25.

“We are also expanding reach by partnering formally with IPCR and its six regional offices. This ensures that from local communities to state levels, young people across Nigeria can participate meaningfully,” Akpabio said.

In his welcome address, Director General of IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, represented by Dr. Caleb Ayuba, Head of Democracy and Development Studies, said the competition underscores a commitment to young people and to the future of peace and governance in Nigeria.

He noted that violent conflicts across the country have disproportionately affected young people, both as victims and perpetrators, while unemployment, poverty, and exclusion continue to limit their opportunities.

Ochogwu said the initiative aligns with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, and supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for a peaceful, secure, and inclusive Nigeria.

He urged stakeholders to support the project, saying: “Let us encourage our youth to use their creativity, their voices, and their talent, not to fuel conflict, but to transform it; not to break down, but to build up.”

The initiative also drew commendations from international partners. Iiris Aliska of the Embassy of Finland praised the competition for promoting a culture of peace, emphasizing the principle of “relationality,” which she described as respect and kindness toward all people and communities.

The Director General of the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE), Chris Ngwodo noted that while young people are often central to conflict, they are equally central to peacebuilding, describing them as “the most creative elements in any society.”

“Young people represent the reservoir of a society’s potential for transformation, innovation, peaceful revolution. All the things and all the ways in which a society can reach the fullness of its potential are involving young people.

“They are the ones that will bring things of a better present as well as a better tomorrow, and they are the ones that will chart a path to go in there. And this is why initiatives like this are hugely important. Initiatives that tap into, harness and celebrate the creative power of young people.

“Young people are the most creative elements in any society, and they are certainly the most creative elements in our own society. When you look at the size of people in our informal sector, when you look at the size of informal enterprise, and when you look at our creative sectors in this country, you will find that it is predominantly driven by young people. So I say all that to say that this initiative is a most worthy initiative,”he said.

He urged the youth to embrace their role as future heroes of the nation, saying:

“This is the moment of your heroism. This is the season of your heroism.”

Also speaking, Iiris Aliska of the Embassy of Finland lauded the initiative as a step toward nurturing a culture of peace. She emphasized the principle of “relationality,” which she defined as respect and kindness toward all people and communities.

Similarly, Hairo Dong, Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy, reaffirmed China’s commitment to working with Nigeria to advance peace and development through “pragmatic operations” and “real results.”

IPCR Collaborates on Peace-building Game for Children, Young People