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Roaring laughter filled the Nyakuron Cultural Centre to the brim and beyond as the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, organized a Sunday Comedy for Peace event in Juba.

“Comedy allows me to reach out to people with important messages in a way that does not work with music. Music can be too fast, older people often don’t get it, but with stand-up comedy you can touch an audience and make it reflect on peace, mine awareness, sexual violence, early marriages or whatever other message you may have,” explains Captain Eddy Lunjanga, founder and CEO of the entertainment company with which UNMISS Communications and Public Information Section teamed up for a day of public happiness.

Captain Eddy, a former musician, says he was South Sudan’s first ever stand-up comedian when he started out in 2013. He admits that making people laugh is no joking matter in a conflict-ridden society.

“Comedy was meant to be performed in a state of peace and freedom of expression. In South Sudan, where it is needed to mend our wounds and sorrows, it was repressed by war and violence for a long time,” he says and reveals how his group of comedians and musical performers has been able to carry on despite everything:

“We follow three rules very strictly: we don’t deal with tribalism, politics and insults, and that is why we are liked by everyone and can perform for any audience. We stick to everyday stuff from social life.”

And “everyone” was indeed present at the Nyakuron Cultural Centre: men and women, the young and the slightly older were all enjoying a rare opportunity not only to get together for some soul-healing entertainment but also to do so for free. The 800 or so seats were quickly taken, available aisles filled up and a bit of queue took shape at the entrance.

20-year-old secondary school student David Raimon was one of them, and he and his friends did not regret having been lured to the event by a newspaper advertisement.

“I’m very much enjoying this afternoon. It’s a good feeling to be here to laugh and relax together with so many other people from different backgrounds, to share experiences and opinions and discuss the jokes. I actually came here because I was curious to learn more about the word peace, to gain another perspective of what peace is and how we can achieve it, but this has been so much more,”, he said.

Charity Opani from Yei, while thoroughly enjoying the creativity on stage, pointed out another positive aspect of the event.

“I had never really understood what exactly UNMISS is doing in our country, but with the quiz about the Mission and what it does and does not I learned a lot,” Charity said.

She believes that South Sudan could do with a lot more comedy and entertainment accessible for all. “It becomes more difficult to dislike others when you have shared a good time with them”, as she puts it.

“Normally an event like this one would cost money, which would make it impossible for many to go. That is a shame, because you see what is happening here? A full house, with more people wanting to come in!”

Apart from professional entertainers from a variety of ethnic groups and parts of the country, Japanese peacekeepers also showed off their musicality in front of the boisterous crowd.

Amongst the smiling faces was that of Salla Rajab Bunduki, the Jubek State minister of culture, youth and sport, who announced not only that his government is interested in joining forces with the creative talents on show but also to establish a union for comedians in Juba.

Yes, it was that kind of afternoon and night. And yes, there was much rejoicing.

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