A national peace summit comes off at the Banquet Hall of the State House today to educate Ghanaians on issues of justice and peace and how these ingredients can strengthen democratic governance in the country. An initiative of the National Peace Council (NPC), the Manhyia Palace, the Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) and the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), the national summit is on the theme, “Justice, Peace and Reforms will Strengthen Ghana”. Ghana’s two former Presidents, Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor, are expected to speak on the need for political dialogue to facilitate the management of issues relating to the Supreme Court’s verdict and those that affect national cohesion and the stability of the democratic governance system. Other key speakers at the day’s event are the Chairman of the NPC, the Most Rev Professor Emmanuel Asante; the President of the National House of Chiefs, Naa Prof Nabila, and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who are all expected to focus on the importance of using dialogue to resolve political conflicts or disputes peacefully as a vital element of democratic culture. Prior to that, there will be panel discussions on two broad topics — “Justice and Peace or Violence: Are these the stark choices facing the nation in Ghana’s most stable democratic Republic?” and “The media challenge to peace and national cohesion: How can it be managed in relation to the Supreme Court verdict?”. The youth wings of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the People’s National Convention (PNC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and civil society organisations will also make peace pledges at the forum. Professor Audrey Gadzekpo of the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, will facilitate the panel discussion on the media, while Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, the Executive Director of IDEG, will facilitate the panel discussion on justice and peace.