21 September 2013 – Hundreds of South Sudanese across the country today commemorated International Day of Peace with peace walks and discussions, drama and art.

The day, celebrated this year under the theme, "Education for peace", is observed around the world on 21 September to strengthen the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and people.

"If we want to live in peace we have to start from our own households," said Bishop John Gattek Wallam in the Unity State capital Bentiu, where about 200 people watched a street drama performance titled "Peace and Unity".

The drama, performed by 25 youth members of different churches, aimed to illustrate the three major problems causing instability in the state: sending children to cattle camps or for early marriage instead of letting them attend schools, ethnic group discrimination and cattle raiding.

"It is good for the people ... to be reminded about peace," said Galuak Jok, a spectator. "Peace is very important for us. If there is no peace, nothing will be good in our county."

The event was organized by the Inter Church Committee in coordination with the Peace and Reconciliation Commission in the state, with support from UNMISS.

In Juba, UNMISS Civil Affairs Division and the Peace and Reconciliation Committee also organized a peace rally through the streets of the national capital.

About 80 students from nine different secondary schools and from Juba University also participated in a discussion on the role of the youth in peace building and in an art competition during an event held at Nyakuron Cultural Centre.

South Korean engineers hosted orphans from the Evangelical Orphanage, Traumatic and Healing Centre at the peacekeepers' camp in the UNMISS compound in the Jonglei state capital Bor.

"We heard that Jonglei state has the biggest needs compared to other states ... especially because of the security situation,' said Sergeant Yim Seo Hyun. "Our next (contingent) is coming in mid-October and before we leave, we shall hand over the activities that we have been running here."

The contingent, which will be leaving the country in three weeks, has for the last five months assisted 170 vulnerable children with donations of mosquito nets, medicines, learning materials and food.

In his message to observe the International Day of Peace, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that educating the poorest and most marginalized children will require bold political leadership and increased financial commitment, yet aid for education had dropped.

"We must reverse this decline, forge new partnerships and bring much greater attention to the quality of education," he said. "There is new momentum in countries with the greatest needs, such as those affected by conflict, which are home to half of all children lacking education. But we must do more – much more."