The Anambra State Chapter of the Rotary Action Group for Peace, in collaboration with the National Counter Terrorism Centre, has commemorated the 121st anniversary of Rotary International with a peace walk and advocacy activities in Awka.

The February event, which coincided with Rotary’s Peace-building and Conflict Prevention Month as well as the Lenten and Ramadan seasons, was organised in partnership with the Federal Government’s National Counter Terrorism Centre and the Gray Child Foundation.

As part of the celebration, participants embarked on a six-kilometre peace walk from the Red Cross Office in Amawbia through Eke Awka Market to the Anambra Broadcasting Service headquarters in Awka. The procession featured placards bearing messages promoting peaceful coexistence and ended with the cutting of the anniversary cake.

The Coordinator of the Rotary Action Group for Peace, Anambra State Chapter, Mr Chidi Obiudu, said Rotary’s activities align with the National Community Violence Reduction Programme (NCVRP) launched in August 2025.

He described the NCVRP as a framework for grassroots interventions aimed at promoting positive peace, strengthening community resilience and addressing the root causes of insurgency, banditry and ethno-religious conflict in the state.

Obiudu said the organisation prioritises women, youth, persons with disabilities and victims of violence, providing psychosocial support, medical assistance, empowerment initiatives and reintegration programmes.

He stressed the importance of adopting “Whole-of-Government” and “Whole-of-Society” approaches to tackle terrorism, insurgency, banditry, organised crime and other forms of violence, noting that sustainable development depends on relative peace.

The anniversary activities also featured advocacy campaigns, including the installation of peace billboards across strategic locations in the state and educational outreach on social cohesion and local governance.

The keynote address, titled “End Conflict, Build Peace,” was delivered by the Anambra State Accountant General, Rtn Joachim Chinedum, while Dr Nwabufo Nwankwo, Permanent Secretary, Government House and past president of Rotary Club of Awka, presented a lecture on Rotary at 121 years.

The programme included collaborative engagements with Rotary and Rotaract clubs, the Red Cross, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Anambra Broadcasting Service, focusing on communal harmony and the promotion of positive peace.