London Youth Stand For Peace, Unite to Support UK Refugees
In a recent “Hands of Peace” initiative, the International Peace Youth Group and International Women’s Peace Group co-hosted a cultural exchange to support London-based UK refugees, celebrating one another’s cultures and creating a culture and dialogue for peace.
LONDON, 10 Dec 2022 — In the face of a rising crisis leaving over 230,000 refugees in the UK, the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) and International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) co-hosted a cultural exchange on Saturday 10 December 2022 for refugees based in London to celebrate one another’s cultures, and establish a culture and dialogue of peace.
The event, “Hands of Peace”, focuses on celebrating diversity and uniting individuals from different countries, languages, religions, and cultures, through food, creative activities, and active discussion on matters of peace. This was the second “Hands of Peace” event held this year – the first was co-hosted between IWPG and the Barnet Migrant and Refugee Forum, a charity that works for the benefit of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in and around the Barnet borough.
Martha Modi, a trustee of the Barnet Migrant and Refugee Forum and member of IWPG, shared a key message in Saturday’s “Hands of Peace” event, encouraging young people to continue working for peace despite any obstacles they face.
In sharing about her hope for peace, Martha shared, “My hope is very high, and I think that it is achievable if we work together as a team. We will be able to achieve peace for the world, and work more with the young people.”
As an encouragement to the young people in attendance to united as one, she also commented, “the advice I would give is that youth should come together, organise themselves, join [IPYG] so that they will be able to achieve peace for the future generations to come.”
The encouragement was felt both ways. “I felt such positive energy in the event today,” shared on IPYG volunteer in attendance. “Through discussing together and sharing a meal, I felt that we are really one global family. And I felt that we are all determined to work for peace, so that no other young people have to lose their home or freedom due to war.”
IPYG UK will continue to host further events in support of refugees, and for the empowerment of young people in the UK, in 2023.
About IPYG
The International Peace Youth Group is a non-governmental organisation that has united hundreds of thousands of youths around the world since its start in May 2013. In less than 10 years, IPYG has grown to work in over 110 countries, and with over 850 cooperative organisation worldwide. IPYG works closely with HWPL, another global NGO associated with the United Nations’ Department of Global Communication and ECOSOC, which works through the 3 core pillars of international law, religious harmony, and peace education.
