"Peace must not stay a policy on paper; it must be lived and felt in every household, village, and town.”

In a stirring address to more than 500 people, Central Equatorian Governor Rabi Emmanuel, set the scene for the celebration of the International Day of Peace in Terekeka, by reinforcing the theme "Act Now for a Peaceful South Sudan."

His call to action resonated with community members, government officials, traditional leaders, women's groups, youth organizations, and others who came together to show their commitment to peace.

The celebrations showcased the rich cultural diversity of Terekeka.

Traditional Mundari dance groups brought the audience to their feet while wrestling matches, often viewed competitively, were transformed into a celebration of sport and peace.

Hon. Pia Philip Michael, Undersecretary at the National Ministry of Peacebuilding, spoke about the five pillars necessary for lasting peace: dialogue and mediation, justice and human rights, peace education, economic empowerment, and reconciliation and healing.

His words were a reminder that healing only comes with the presence of peace.

"Peace is the best thing that people can have. A peaceful ground is the only place where good things can grow," he said.

The event was conducted on the heels of a three-day symposium, which focused on the challenges faced by Terekeka, a town with a large and diverse population that borders three states.

Hiroko Hirahara, Director of Civil Affairs for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan underscored the importance of collaboration to achieve peace.

"We know that we can never succeed alone, but together we can make a difference," she said.

Her remarks offered a glimpse of hope and highlighted the positive attributes in South Sudan.

"Everyone focuses on the fighting and the negative issues only, but there's so much beauty in this country and real progress on peace," she said. "When I first came here, people would run toward fighting. Now, we have youth groups and community leaders coming to us asking for help with peace facilitation because they want dialogue, not conflict. Don't lose hope - you have a beautiful country."

Terekeka’s Peace Day celebrations demonstrate how the people of South Sudan are committed to working together to build a prosperous future for all, reminding us all that lasting peace requires a collective effort and concrete action.