Sawa Shabab (Together Youth) series is produced locally by Free Voice South Sudan in collaboration with USIP, to promote peace and stability by empowering youth to be confident, open-minded and participatory citizens in a diverse society.

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The drama series follows the daily lives of different young South Sudanese as they face unique challenges while learning how to become peacebuilders in their communities.  Sawa Shabab consists of 20 episodes in  English and Arabic and five episodes in Nuer and Dinka languages and will be aired on Radio Miraya, the Catholic Radio Network and other local stations across the country.

Featured Episode

Episode 14

Family tensions come to a head in this episode. After Ms. Mary bans the student union from wearing traditional jewelry, ChoCho encourages Winnie not to give up. Taban and ChoCho travel to see Taban’s father in the village, but the visit is not what he thought it would be. Richard and his father get into a fight and he learns from he only received his promotion because of his family connections.

English

Arabic

 

About the Peacebuilding Curriculum

The dramatic series is based on an educational, peacebuilding curriculum designed with local partners. The curriculum seeks to increase knowledge and change the attitudes and behaviors of youth listeners regarding their roles in building peace in South Sudan. The series' curriculum focuses on three main goals, identified by local experts as critical to building peace in South Sudan.

The series’ curriculum focuses on three main areas, identified by local experts as critical to building peace in South Sudan.

  • Co-Existence and National Identity – To promote peaceful co-existence and mutual respect among South Sudanese youth from different cultural and tribal orientations.
  • Youth Empowerment and Personal Responsibility - To create the foundations of peacebuilding by empowering South Sudanese youth to be accountable, independent and participatory citizens of society.
  • Gender – To promote peaceful and democratic growth in society by fostering an understanding of gender equality. 

Interact with Sawa Shabab

Young South Sudanese inside and outside of the country are encouraged to engage with the Sawa Shabab program. Youth can share their thoughts and experiences online through the Sawa Shabab Facebook fan page as well as via Twitter (@SawaShabab).

The program also includes opportunities for young listeners in South Sudan to interact with the drama through text messages and phone call-ins. Listeners will be invited to respond to questions raised within the episode and send thoughts and feedback on characters and storylines.

Listen to the Series Theme Song

 

 

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China's Vision for Global Security: Implications for Southeast Asia

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Amid a Changing Global Order, NATO Looks East

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Tuesday, April 23, 2024

As NATO celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, the Euro-Atlantic security alliance continues to deepen its engagement with Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, collectively known as the IP4. NATO has collaborated with these countries since the early 2000s, but Russia’s war against Ukraine, security challenges posed by China and renewed strategic competition have led to increased engagement. As the war in Ukraine grinds on and U.S.-China competition shows no sign of abating, the United States has much to gain from collaboration between its allies and partners in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.

Type: Question and Answer

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Mental Health and Violent Conflict: A Vicious Cycle

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When we think about the damage wrought by war, we often think about the physical consequences such as injuries and destroyed infrastructure. However, the often-invisible mental scars left behind by war are no less important.

Type: Analysis

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Mirna Galic on NATO’s Long-standing Engagement in the Indo-Pacific

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Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Contrary to China’s assertions, NATO has a long history of engagement with the Indo-Pacific. But the alliance’s deep partnerships in the region have taken on renewed importance in recent years amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and renewed strategic competition between the U.S. and China, says USIP’s Mirna Galic.

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