Ministry of Peace held the opening ceremony of the 10th round Youth National Voluntary Community Service training program at Hawassa University; May 19/2024

Gemechisa Eticha Chief Executive Officer of the Youth National Voluntary Community Service of the Ministry of Peace on his opening speech stated that; the National Voluntary Community Service promotes positive peace by transmitting Ethiopian values and principles to the young generation, removing the divisions and suspicions based on race, ethnicity, religion and other identities, increasing the youth's patriotic devotion to the country by creating harmonious societies.  

Ato Gemechisa explained that; "the Youth National Voluntary Community Service builds the youth's attitude, skill and moral; and makes them to understand each other's culture and values, which creates national consensus and has an important role for peace and unity of the country. It is an opportunity to leaving own positive mark by doing good works and it is an act that gives satisfaction of conscience for the youths those who ready to fulfill their citizenship responsibility."

Samuel Jilo (Dr.), Hawassa University Vice President of Administration and Development, in his welcome speech, "We Ethiopians are blessed with the diversity of culture, language, ethnicity, religion, landscape, and so on. We should respect each other's differences, recognize that differences are a grace and not a threat, refrain from saying that only my thinking comes first, respect our diversity, let our differences be our beauty, and our beauty be our unity, and work hard for peace and state building".  He added "Peace volunteers should respect others and teach respect by being ambassadors of peace where they are engaged."  He called the volunteers to listen to each other and to solve problems through dialogue, in order to develop a culture of dialogue in community where they are deployed. 

In order to make awareness about the important role of youth in the country's affairs, enable them to participate constructively in nation building and develop social values, since the role of youth in building sustainable peace, it is important to engage young volunteers in terms of skills, morals, and entrepreneurship.