At Juba 1 Girls’ Primary School, South Sudanese girls sing and dance, articulating their dreams and aspirations.

“We need peace, we need peace. I want to become a doctor,” one sings, drawing a chorus response from her peers.

South Sudan’s second largest city, Malakal, held a peace celebration in scenes reminiscent of the atmosphere when the young country became a republic seven years ago. The celebration was a culmination of a series of engagements between uniformed and civilian leaders from across the divide.

Senior members of the Islamic Council and Christian faith-based institutions in Yei have ended a three-day workshop with a call for an end to hate speech and religious division.