The School of General Studies ( SGS ) at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU ) Abia state, joined the global community to commemorate the 2026 International Day for Peace and called on students and members of the university community to promote peace, dialogue, justice and tolerance as essential tools for building resilient societies.

The call was made during the school’s commemoration of the 2026 International Day of Peace, held on September 21, with the theme, “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.”

The event, which attracted representatives of the Police Zonal and Abia State commands, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), academics, students and researchers, featured goodwill messages, presentations and discussions on peacebuilding.

The programme also included the planting of Peace Trees at the SGS quadrangle by representatives of the university management and other participants.

The keynote address, titled “Education for Peace, Dialogue, Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Peace: Nigeria and Africa Emphasis,” was delivered by Prof. Ejitu Nnechi Ota, while Prof. Adedoyin Adedayo of the SGS presented a paper titled “Sustainable Peace in a Globalised World.”

A panel discussion and question-and-answer session also featured during the programme.
Awards were presented to former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Engr. Chinedum Orji, who received the Peace Advocacy Award; Abia State NSCDC Commandant, C.N. Odimba, who received a Peacebuilder Award; and philanthropist Sir Nonso Ozomena.

The university’s seventh and pioneer female Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, commended the SGS leadership and staff, led by the Acting Director, Dr Chiedozie Atuonwu, for organising the programme.

Akanwa, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Development, Prof. Princewill Ogbonna, said MOUAU’s responsibility extended beyond awarding academic degrees to nurturing minds, instilling values and equipping young people with the skills needed to address complex social challenges.

She said the university occupied a strategic position in social transformation through knowledge impartation, critical inquiry, innovation and leadership development.

According to her, sustainable peace and development are inseparable, noting that academic excellence cannot thrive without peace, while education is essential to securing society’s future.

“As we empower our young people with critical thinking and empathetic leadership, we must give them the tools to dismantle intolerance, violence, exclusion and unhealthy competition, and build resilient communities capable of weathering economic and social pressures,” she said.

She urged students, whom she described as future leaders and peacebuilders, to use the opportunity provided by the SGS to engage in meaningful dialogue, challenge prejudices and embrace harmony and tolerance on campus.

Atuonwu, in his address, described the International Day of Peace as both a call for reflection and action, stressing that peace was more than the absence of war, violence or conflict.

He said peace was a condition in which individuals and communities could live with dignity, security, justice, mutual respect and hope.

He explained that the philosophy behind the SGS commemoration was not merely to mark the day but to deepen discussions on the role of education, scholarship, leadership and community engagement in building peaceful and resilient societies.

Atuonwu urged members of the university community to make personal and institutional commitments to peace and to make MOUAU an institution where respect was normal, dialogue encouraged, disagreements managed constructively and human dignity protected.

“Let us teach our students that true leadership is not measured merely by authority, position or influence but by the ability to build bridges, resolve differences and create opportunities for others,” he said.

The acting director said the world needed institutions that not only managed conflicts but prevented them by promoting justice, inclusion, dialogue and mutual respect.

“The world does not also need peace only in times of crisis but everywhere, for everyone, every day,” he said.
He called for investment in peace through teaching, research, leadership, relationships and communities, particularly through the education and employment of the next generation.

Atuonwu urged the university community to renew its commitment to becoming active participants in building a culture of peace.