Pétion-Ville, September 20, 2025.- Nearly 70 young influencers, the majority of them tittokers, joined forces on 19 September at the Karibe Hotel to make their digital voices heard on the International Day of Peace. With OPC Haiti, the Haitian Youth Observatory and the Dialogue for an Inclusive Economy project led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), they spread messages of peace and resilience, especially in neighbourhoods hit hard by the social, security and economic crisis.
In the most vulnerable areas of Port-au-Prince and other municipalities, young people are directly affected by the crisis: unemployment, insecurity, lack of digital infrastructure, lack of basic services. Many feel neglected and poorly represented in official speeches. This mobilization via social networks offers them a space to tell their reality, to break out of silence, and to create a link.
Dialogue for an Inclusive Economy project: Tech4Peace
The project, supported by UNDP and ILO, aims to promote economic inclusion, reduce inequalities and support youth development spaces. #Tech4Peace is an initiative of this project that focuses on digital creativity as a tool for social transformation. Influencers use videos, messages, dances, sketches to spread peace, raise awareness about community violence, and build resilience.
Objectives and expected impacts
Raising community awareness of the importance of peace, tolerance and dialogue;
Promote youth as an actor of change, not simply a victim of the crisis;
Strengthen digital inclusion, provide access to digital platforms, train in content creation;
Create a positive counterweight to the spread of violent or pessimistic messages in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Despite enthusiasm, obstacles remain: limited access to stable internet, high costs for some young people, lack of resources to produce quality content, and fear of reprisals in areas with high insecurity. The project will have to work with local communities to ensure that these peace messages are heard, understood and respected.
W.A.
