Transformative National Values on the cards, as govt finalizes consultations with stakeholders

Malawi is set to have the first ever Transformative National Values following the finalization of consultations with stakeholders on the development of the values.

The development of will values is expected to spearhead the establishment of the National Day of Unity and Cultural Heritage.

The Minister of Civic Education and National Unity, Timothy Pagonachi Mtambo, said the initiatives are aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence and tolerance among Malawians as a way of achieving sustainable peace and national unity.

Mtambo made the sentiments in Lilongwe today during the 2021 Commemoration of the International Day of Peace.

This day was set aside by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 as a day dedicated to advancing the ideals of peace, and to halting conflict all over the world.

This year’s Global theme for the commemoration is: “Recovering Better for an Equitable and Sustainable World.” Rt. Hon. Vice President, in Malawi, we have decided to commemorate the day under the Localized theme: “Recovering Better for an Equitable, Peaceful and Sustainable Malawi”.

Mtambo said Malawi takes special ownership of this year’s International Day of Peace because “we have been recognized all over the world as a country that has emerged stronger in Democracy, Independence and Unity even in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and the adverse political effects that came with it, as seen in several countries”.

The minister said under the servant leadership of President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, Malawians had demonstrated to the world how peace and unity can build resilience, justice and sustainable development.

“We have given new meaning to the saying, ‘mu umodzi muli mphamvu’. As we recover from the scathing socio-economic effects of the global pandemic, let us capture the opportunities that the new normal presents us: opportunities to see the bigger picture of Hope, of Prosperity, of Unity, and of Peace. A better recovery will not happen overnight, but it is surely possible together,” said Mtambo.

Quoting former US President John F. Kennedy, the minister emphasized that peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.

“Day by day we will layer the building blocks of peace and unity as strong foundations for a more sustainable, equitable and developed Malawi. The strive for peace and unity, ladies and gentlemen, is not only for our benefit to live in harmony, but also to achieve the prosperity that the Malawi Agenda 2063 has set out to accomplish. The significance of unity and peace in national development cannot be overemphasized. This is why peace and unity are listed as one of the enablers of Malawi’s development blueprint in the Malawi Agenda 2063 as our long-term development strategy,” he said.

In her remarks, the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, Maria Jose Torres, said justice, equality and dignity for all people are key to achieving sustainable peace.

Torres said peace should also be looked at a local level in remote areas, where there are people who do not get their needs, emphasizing that the commemoration should be a reminder that peace can be achieved if people come together to tackle issues that threaten peace.

In his remarks, State Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima called on Malawians to play a role in maintaining peace that the country is enjoying despite some challenges.

Chilima said it is possible for people to resolve conflicts without violence. He said lies, envy, selfishness and greed are some of the threats to national peace.

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