Hope and togetherness mark UN Day celebration in Juba

Hope and togetherness mark UN Day celebration in Juba

Hope and togetherness mark UN Day celebration in Juba. Photo: UNMISS/Isaac Billy

24 Oct 2016

Hope and togetherness mark UN Day celebration in Juba

Filip Andersson

The UN family – UNMISS and the twenty UN agencies, funds and programmes  working in South Sudan, today celebrated the 71st anniversary of UN Day at the Nyakuron Cultural Centre in Juba. The well-attended event was marked by an ambience of hope and togetherness, not to mention the trademark clear UN blue sky.

Everyone was there that could have been there as the celebration for the first time was open to the public.  In attendance were youth and school children, the Council of Traditional Chiefs along with government officials, diplomats, senior management representing all UN entities, and UN staff. Those who weren’t present were able to follow live on UNMISS Radio Miraya’s live coverage of the occasion.

More importantly, a number of truly inspirational individuals blessed the audience with their presence. First off the block was runner and South Sudanese Olympian Kenyi Santino. True to his role as a National Peace Ambassador, the athlete spoke of peace, unity and national identity.

“In Rio de Janeiro, nobody knew or cared about what ethnic group I belong to, and all I knew was that I was representing my country, South Sudan and all of its people. Coming back from Rio, I realize that we are as good as people from anywhere else. South Sudan is a great country, but only if we stop the fighting. …. The needs of the youth of this country cannot be met till all the guns have been silenced, Mr. Santino declared, and was enthusiastically awarded with a round of applause from the audience.

More hand-clapping was to follow, first when the UNMISS Rwandan contingent treated attendees to a cultural show including drumming, singing, dancing, traditional grooves, sweaty smiling faces and a sense of communal joy and pride befitting the occasion. As these men and women performed, one was reminded not only of their country’s troubled past, but also of its ability to surmount the troubles of the past and move beyond the trauma by forgiving and uniting as one people for the benefit of the generations to come – as such the nation has gained its current claim to fame in “internet searches” as the “Switzerland of Africa”. That is a significant and hard-earned change of fortunes, and one that offers hope.

Inspiration then continued to dominate the stage, as a total of seven beneficiaries of the efforts of one South Sudan-based UN entity or another. We met one individual who benefited from the support of UNHCR’s scholarship programme and is close to graduating from university.

In his words he says “It was at a juncture where my life was at its worse …. Now I want to establish my own business and contribute to humanity, like the UN does”, he said.

There was also Abalo Grace Odera, who with the assistance of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) is currently a trainer at the Tailoring Unit at the Vocational Training Centre of the Juba prison, Akech Mamour Mayom, who under the wings of the World Health Organization (WHO) has become an anesthetics nurse at the Bor State Hospital, and John Kony, a former cholera patient who these days serves as Unicef’s Cholera Ambassador in his community.

Lest we forget, Lucy Andur, head teacher at Green Hill Primary School in Gudele, Juba and “mother of 1,750 pupils”, commended the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) for its swift action to clear her school of unexploded ordnances, thus making it possible for the children to return to their classrooms. She was informed about these critical UNMAS services through announcements made by Radio Miraya.

Poignant testimonies were also given by the Terekeka youth leader Emmanuel Laku Manna, thanking the Civil Affairs Division of UNMISS for its vital role in mitigating and resolving conflicts in the Terekeka area, and the Chairperson of the South Sudan Women’s Peace Network, Priscilla Joseph Kuc, who praised UN Women for its efforts to make sure that South Sudanese women got a voice in the negotiation of the 2015 peace agreement.

Vigorous, near-hypnotic drumming performed by the UNMISS Japanese Engineering contingent was next, and word has it that the sound of the percussion session is still reverently reverberating in the Nyakuron area.

Forever echoing are indeed the classic words “We, the peoples of the United Nations” and “to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours” from the preamble of the UN Charter. At Nyakuron, they were given new life by South Sudanese boy scouts and girl guides.

The day could not be left without remarks and speeches. Poignant was that of the president of the Council of Chiefs, representing 64 ethnic groups in the country, who delivered an impromptu message.

“We are happy that you are a woman, not a man. Women don’t lie, they always tell the truth”, the Council representative said with a nod to UNMISS Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Ellen Margrethe Loej, and added:

“Please tell Ban Ki-moon that the people of South Sudan believe in you. Just give us two months and we’ll bring peace to the country. …. remember: all the tribes of South Sudan are one, and we will work with you, the UN.”

Next up was the UNMISS SRSG, who first read out the Secretary-General’s message on the day before adding a few remarks of her own. While acknowledging the “grave setback” of the July violence, Ms. Loej focused on hope.

“We must be steadfast in our faith that South Sudanese can put their differences aside and unite for peace. It is time to lay down the weapons and commit to inclusive dialogue, reconciliation and justice. I urge the Transitional Government of National Unity and the parties to the conflict to put the interests of the people first. The suffering must stop,” the SRSG affirmed.

SRSG Loej added in conclusion as her vision of hope:

“The road ahead will be challenging but I look forward to the day that peace will prevail and that this young nation can finally live out its great promise.”

The guest of honour, the South Sudanese Minister of Federal Affairs Richard K. Mulla, assured the attendees that progress is being made in implementing the 2015 peace agreement and thanked the UN family for its contributions.

“We are only five years old, but we have benefitted a lot from the UN presence in our country,” Mr. Mulla said.

It was, however, the pupils of St. Thomas Primary School who stole the show, as symbols of the youth and future of South Sudan. These charming girls and boys performed a couple of songs, with the following, hopefully prophetic lines, standing out a mile:

“I am a proud South Sudanese child. Give me my rights and you will see me conquer the world”.

And there was much rejoicing.