My Peace: No filters, just truth
First-hand blogs from youth living through crisis and conflict
Peace means different things to different people. But one truth is universal: peace is not something done to or for young people; it must be built with them.
With 50 percent of the world¡¯s population under 30, this generation is the driving force of our future. Yet, many of them - often comprising the majority of those displaced and denied essential services - are living through crisis and conflict. But they are far from bystanders; they are the active peacebuilders, mediators, educators, artists and innovators on the frontlines of peace.
Here are some of their voices.
For Lesia Holoiad, a 28-year-old youth leader in Ukraine, the definition of peace is simple and absolute: ¡°¡ peace means justice. And if justice requires a struggle, then it is worth it.¡± Even as the war and the destruction continue to relentlessly reshape communities across Ukraine, Holoiad works daily to build her vision: ¡°My peace is when everyone in Ukraine can study and work without fear, dream without limits and plan without reservations.¡± Read her powerful story of hope and courage. In her own words, peace starts with the person who, despite everything, "chooses not to be broken."
Refusing to be erased¡ªa volunteer¡¯s voice from Gaza
¡°We are not just numbers or headlines. We are people: mothers, fathers, children¡ªtrying to survive and protect one another in impossible conditions. The world must see us, hear us, and stand with humanity. Support humanitarian work. Advocate for safe access. And most importantly, don¡¯t let Gaza be forgotten,¡± says twenty-seven-year-old Dr. Tasneem Aboalkomboz serving as UN Volunteer in Gaza.