South Sudanese Youths at Catholic Bishop’s Tournament Urged to be Agents of Peace and Unity

Yei, 15 January, 2026 / 4:57 PM

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yei in South Sudan has urged young people to reject violence and play a leading role in promoting peace and unity in the East-Central African nation, which continues to seek lasting harmony.

In his address to participants at the opening ceremony of the ongoing annual Bishop’s Annual Youth Tournament on January 10, Bishop Alex Lodiong Sakor Eyobo emphasized that peace remains a critical need in the world’s newest nation.

“We know that in this country, peace is very important, and peace is needed very much by each one of us,” the Bishop said during the event that marked the kickoff of the second edition of the tournament at the Holy Family Lainya Parish of his Episcopal See.

The South Sudanese Catholic Church leader encouraged the young people under his pastoral care to live out the theme of this year’s event, “Let the Youth be Agents of Peace and Unity,” by becoming agents of peace and rejecting manipulation into violence by individuals pursuing personal or political interests.

He said, “Our youth who are Christians, and especially Catholics, should become promoters of peace, because when you do so, the whole country will learn from your example,” demonstrating that peaceful coexistence is possible.

Bishop Lodiong highlighted unity as a key pillar of the 10-day tournament, which is set to conclude on January 19.

“The theme also invites us to become agents of unity. Why unity? Because in this country, most of the time we group ourselves into tribal cliques instead of seeing ourselves as one nation,” he explained.

He went on to warn against the dangers of tribalism and regionalism, observing that they have led to an inferiority complex among some members of the community.

“None of us should feel inferior in this country,” said the Bishop of Yei since his Episcopal Consecration in May 2022, urging young people to promote unity and the belief that all citizens can contribute to the nation’s development when they work together.

“Let this theme really instill in us the understanding that peace is very important, and peace can only come when we are united together,” the Bishop urged.

He called upon the participants, who are drawn from all the Parishes of his Episcopal See, to view the tournament as a platform for growth, learning, and nurturing talent and self-confidence.

“Who knows, some of you may even end up participating in the major leagues you always admire in Europe, to represent us. Take this as an opportunity for talent development, learning from each other, even the tactics on the field, so that together we move forward, developing ourselves and our talents,” the Catholic Church leader said.

Bishop Lodiong underscored the spiritual dimension of the annual event, which began in 2025, reminding the participants that faith should guide all activities, including sports.

“In whatever you do, even when playing football, remember that you are a Christian. A Christian is not someone who hurts others, but someone who loves, helps others to grow and develop their talents, and, in the end, helps to build the community,” he said.

The 10-day diocesan event, organized by the Office of Youth Ministry in partnership with other organizations, including Women for Women International and YMCA South Sudan, features inter-parish football matches alongside activities such as environmental and health campaigns, youth resilience exhibitions, and peace dialogues.