On the 19th – 23rd of April, the Institute for Economics and Peace, in partnership with the EU Committee of Regions and UNICEF, delivered a course on “Positive Peace and Libyan Youth”.
Supported by the City Mayors of Libya, 16 young Libyans participated in the course aimed at discussing how to build the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies.
Since the 2011 revolution, Libya has been mired in violent conflict that crosses ethnic, regional and political divides.
Large numbers of militias, brigades and organisations such as ISIS control different areas within Libya and many are fighting against each other to in bitter power struggles.
Legitimate income opportunities have diminished, leaving the youth of Libya susceptible to recruitment by violent organisations. As such, the workshop focused on Positive Peace and Preventing Radicalisation.
This event allowed the participants, from different cities across Libya, the rare chance to sit at the same table and discuss their different experiences and perspectives of their country’s recent history and current situation.
Through IEP’s Positive Peace framework, participants worked together to discuss ideas on how to build peace in Libya. Each participant proposed a small project that they could implement in their home towns that would help to achieve this.
This pilot program was a great success, and ongoing workshops reaching larger numbers of Libyan youth is being planned.
