Living Together in Peace: Sudan Between the Fires of War and the Hopes of Peace

Moatinoon Center for Peace Culture Journalism

The world marks the International Day of Living Together in Peace every year on May 16. On this day, the global community reminds us of the importance of peaceful coexistence and human solidarity. But in Sudan, this day echoes as a loud cry against a brutal war that has threatened the lives of millions since April 15, 2023. While the world celebrates peace, Sudanese people are caught in a spiral of violence and destruction. Cities have turned into battlegrounds, villages have been abandoned, and over 10 million people have been displaced, internally and across borders, according to the United Nations.

The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces erupted over political and economic disputes, but the real victims have been the unarmed civilians. They are the ones who watched their hospitals, schools, and homes crumble into rubble. They are the ones who continue to suffer from hunger, poverty, and horrific violations including killings, torture, and sexual violence—particularly against women and children.

Yet, amid the bombing, displacement, and devastation—amid all the suffering and pain—the Sudanese civil society has remained a candle in the darkness. Young people are running community kitchens to feed the displaced. Volunteer doctors and health workers treat the wounded in basements under shelling. Human rights groups document abuses and demand accountability. Journalists inside and outside the country work around the clock to deliver the truth and combat hate speech.

Let this International Day of Living Together in Peace be a humanitarian call to end the war and protect civilians. Let it be a reminder to the world that Sudan needs more than sympathy—it needs action, not empty promises.

Let us remember: Sudan has long been a symbol of coexistence among religions, cultures, and ethnicities. This war will only be defeated by a people’s will to build a future based on justice—not bullets.

Sudan deserves life. Stop the war—before there is no one left to live peace.