Accra, Aug 29, GNA - About forty five youth from some second cycle institutions and other youth organisations in the Greater Accra Region left Accra on Sunday to meet their counterparts from the other nine regions to begin the second National Peace Camp in Ho.

Participants from Accra High Secondary school, Accra Girls Secondary school and African Youth Alliance are taking part in the week-long programme under the theme; " Peace and Stability in Ghana: The Role of the Youth in Consolidating Democracy".

About 600 participants are expected to take part in the camp to drive home the message of peace and to inculcate in the youth the need for peaceful co-existence.

It would also provide a platform for participants to interact and take part in activities designed to influence each other's behaviour positively.

It would afford them the opportunity to have cultural exchange programmes.

Activities lined up include a peace march through some main streets of Ho, community sensitisation sessions on the effects and prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, Herpitis 'B' and cholera.

Other activities include clean up exercises, Peace Durbar at Hohoe, a visit to the Keta Sea Defence Wall, a football gala on regional basis and a drama by Accra High School on "The youth in Parliament Session". Mr Joseph Mantey, the National Coordinator of the National Youth Council, said the session is expected to prepare the participants psychologically, as future leaders, how to assess topical issues dispassionately, to appreciate the values of democracy and the ideals of conflict resolution through non-conflict means.

He said the camp would attract competent resource persons who would lead deliberations on chieftaincy matters, land disputes, youth involvement in the land guard matters and many others.

He expressed the hope that the event would be an annual affair and to rotate it on regional, municipal, districts and unit levels. The first National Peace camp was held last year in Tamale. 29 Aug 04