Southwest State of Somalia’s Peace and Culture Week: Setting an Inspiring Model for Other States
It was a warm evening on 11 September 2025 when the opening ceremony of the Week of Peace and Culture was opened in Baidoa, the interim capital of the South West State of Somalia. The air buzzed with anticipation, as people from all walks of Somalia and the regions of the Southwest state gathered in a spirit of unity and hope. The event kicked off with President Abdiaziz Hassan Laftagareen taking the stage, welcoming not just the people in the Southwest but all Somalis to witness a week dedicated to peace, reconciliation, dialogue, and cultural celebration. Among the crowd were some notable figures, including Hassan Moallim. the Minister of Constitution and Justice from the Federal Government, who had come to represent the central government’s commitment to supporting federal member states’ s peace initiatives. Parliamentarians and council ministers from the national Federal State and South West State added their voices, ensuring that the event was as much about governance and policy as it was about peace, culture and community. The evening was filled with beautiful songs and poetry—art forms that have long been the heart of Somali tradition. Each word spoken, every note sung, was a call for peace, unity, and reconciliation. The language of the evening was Maay Somali, the dialect of the South West State, grounding the celebration in the local culture and making it all the more meaningful to those in attendance. This wasn’t just a ceremony—it was a reminder that peace is a shared responsibility, a vision that requires all of us, from the grassroots to the government, to come together. It was a week that promised more than just speeches and celebrations. It was the start of something much bigger: a collective commitment to a future built on peace, trust, understanding, and unity. As I was honored to be part of this moment, I realized that the Week of Peace and Culture was not only about addressing past wounds but about celebrating the resilience of a community determined to move forward. The energy in the air was transmittable, and as the week unfolded, I could feel the seeds of a more peaceful and united Somalia being sown.