In spearheading its mission to create a violence-free Jamaica, the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) last Thursday launched its 2009 Peace for Prosperity campaign at the Hilton Kingston hotel in New Kingston.

The Peace Day and Peace for Prosperity initiatives, which will end in April, include a public-education campaign; entertainer and media-manager forum; a peace rally on Peace Day - March 3; a march for peace and a telethon on March 8; a concert; and various community activities.

The initiatives have now evolved into a campaign for peace over a two-month period and are being undertaken in partnership with PALS (Peace and Love in Society) Jamaica, the United Nations Children's Fund, the Healthy Lifestyle Project of the Ministry of Health and Education; the Peace Management Initiative; the National Transformation 'Fresh Start' Programme and the Jamaica National Building Society Foundation, among others.

Campaign supporters

This year's campaign is also being supported by popular recording artistes, such as Tarrus Riley, through his Start A New initiative, as well as stakeholders in No Joke Entertainment and VP Records.

The Education Is No Joke motivational school tour "seeks to reunite artistes with their former high schools and provide them with an opportunity to inspire their young fans". It includes Sean Paul, Tanya Stephens, Assassin, Laden, Voice Mail, Morgan Heritage, Perfect and Kip Rich.

Assassin

In underscoring the importance of the work of the VPA, Chairman, Dr Elizabeth Ward, said the growing number of violent incidents in the nation's schools had once again made it necessary for young people and schools to be the focus of the campaign as "they must be exposed through peace-building initiatives to peaceful alternatives to violence".

Violence, Ward added, "not only hurts people but also has a devastating effect on the country, which loses some $4 billion in productivity due to violence annually". She said that youth are among the most affected but noted also that studies have shown that "children who have the supportive environment of family, school and church, and who participate in structured after-school activities, display less delinquent or aggressive behaviours".

Youth involvement

Ward said the goal of the VPA and its partners was "to ensure that through the various interventions, Jamaica's youth would become integrally involved in peace-building initiatives across the island - not just on Peace Day, but for the rest of their lives".

Following Peace Day on March 3 this year, there will be a march in Kingston on Sunday, March 8, in which communities, civic groups, churches, business entities and the general public are invited to participate.

The march ends with a rally at the National Stadium car park.

Laden.