Palu, Indonesia — January 17, 2010 — Thousands of youth from Central Sulawesi flocked to Taman Ria in Palu for the January 16 “Youth Celebration Peace Concert” and cheered to the music of Acik, lead vocalist for the band The Box. The enthusiasm of the crowd grew as the sun set and the music continued through ten bands all singing messages of peace.

Acik’s band “The Box” won the “Song for Peace” contest organized by the Palu-based radio station SPR FM, with support of the SERASI project. SPR FM organized the contest as a way to engage the youth of Central Sulawesi in activities that promote peace and reconciliation and help heal wounds of past conflict. Collaborating with 17 other radio stations across the province, SPR FM opened the province-wide competition for youth bands to write and perform original songs that delivered a message of peace and religious harmony. Out of an incredible 57 entries, 26 songs were selected. These 26 bands performed live throughout the month of November on participating radio stations to promote their songs to the public. The radio stations also used the band’s live broadcasting to engage them in discussions about the role of youth in sustaining peace in their communities.

Voting was done by SMS messaging. The competition resulted in more than 6,000 SMS votes in which the public selected the ten finalists. On 27 December, the finalists performed their songs in a festival where a jury of five judges selected the winning song and two other runners up based on their musicality, creativity, lyrical merit, commercial appeal, and performance. The Box’s winning entry, “Song for Gaza” tells the story of conflict in the Middle East and how everyone can learn from past mistakes and work together to create lasting peace.

The Box and other finalists were invited to participate in a two day peace campaign in Palu culminating in the Peace Concert on January 16. To maximize exposure, the bands performed in three different locations in Palu on a mobile stage where the organizers also distributed peace-themed t-shirts. The Peace Concert attracted more than 4,000 people—mostly youth, but also a remarkably diverse cross section of Palu society representing every religion, ethnicity, and age group.

SERASI is a three-year USAID funded project focused on creating stable, democratic communities. It is implemented by International Relief and Development (IRD).