By. Elbie Sebleh
MONROVIA: The Center for Legal Aid Support Services has celebrated this 2024 International Day of Peace with a call to think and embrace peace.
The celebration which brought together over 500 youths as participants from several high schools and colleges including communities’ leaders with a parade and an indoor program held at the Dominion Christian Fellowship Center.
Speaking on the Significance of the event, Atty. Gorge Kings, the CEO of Center for Legal Aid Support Services (CLASS), used the occasion to call on the government of Liberia to ensure that everyone enjoys the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as fostering national cohesion wherein citizens exercise all of their rights freely.
Atty. Kings said the government must, at all times, work to ensure that everyone exercises his/her rights peacefully in an atmosphere of hope for progress and development.
The Theme for this year celebration was “Cultivating A Culture of Peace.”
He narrated that the role played by young people in the past civil war was unacceptable, as they created lawlessness and caused human rights abuses.
Atty. Kings assured the participants that his institution will often remind Liberians throughout the country to respect democratic principles and human rights values.
He said it was no mistake that his institution observes the International Day of Peace with students from various high schools.
He added that it was a means of giving the students the opportunity to understand their human rights.
The Center for Legal Aid Support Services (CLASS) is a local Liberian volunteer legal aid development organization.
It’s currently working with impoverished people and communities who may not have the resources (money) to hire a lawyer to represent them in court.
CLASS is also involved with helping people and communities outside of court in methods of alternative dispute resolution.
Atty. Kings added that his institution specifically provide service to prolonged pre-trial detainees beyond the statutory period who have not been given the opportunity to have their day in court.
