AYLCI: A Youth Leadership Partner Building Peace with IPYG in the United States

The Arrow Youth Leadership Council International (AYLCI) is a youth leadership organization based in Union City, Georgia, USA. Through mentoring, academic support, and civic engagement, AYLCI helps young people develop the leadership and career skills needed for the 21st century.

AYLCI is grounded in four core principles—Mind, Mouth, Heart, and Hands—which represent thinking, communication, empathy, and action. With these values, the organization aims to nurture well-rounded leaders who can think critically, communicate clearly, care deeply, and act responsibly.

Partnering with IPYG: Youth Empowerment for Peace in Atlanta

In 2025, AYLCI joined hands with the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) to form the Atlanta Youth Empowerment Peace Working Group (YEPW). The goal was clear: support young people in addressing real issues in their communities, such as conflict, violence, and inequality.

One of the group’s signature initiatives was “Play4Peace ATL”, a youth-led peacebuilding project. Through this program, young people:

• Identified real conflict situations affecting their neighborhoods

• Designed local peace projects to address those issues

• Learned how to communicate with city officials

• Received training on how to write policy proposals

This hands-on approach allowed youth to grow as active peacebuilders, not just observers.

Community Dialogue and Policy Impact

YEPW also hosted a Community Deep Dive, bringing together mayors, youth, and residents from six cities. They openly discussed violence, equity, community support, and cooperation across generations and backgrounds.

The impact was immediate.
Only a few months later, the City of South Fulton unanimously endorsed the youth-led Play4Peace project and officially declared June 6–8 as the “Weekend of Peace.”

This was a significant milestone—proof that when youth voices are elevated, entire cities can move toward peace.

Expanding Peace Through Policy: DPCW Advocacy

Afterwards, AYLCI and the Atlanta YEPW created a toolkit to help local governments adopt youth-led peace initiatives. They also encouraged city leaders to embrace the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), especially Article 10, which promotes a culture of peace.

As a result, five cities and counties adopted city-level resolutions supporting DPCW Article 10:

• City of South Fulton

• City of Stonecrest

• City of Fairburn

• DeKalb County

• Fulton County

Each region also proclaimed its own Weekend of Peace, marking a major step forward in community-based peacebuilding.

These achievements highlight AYLCI and IPYG’s leadership in creating a model where peace education, civic engagement, and youth empowerment come together.

A Message to Youth from AYLCI Founder Dr. Maya Taylor

For decades, AYLCI founder Dr. Maya Taylor has devoted her life to supporting young people. She shared this heartfelt message to youth around the world:

“We know you are at an age where you simply want to play—and that is wonderful.
But I hope you understand the value of ‘playing for peace.’
When we play for peace, we learn how to get along, how to care for one another, and how to look after our world.
Because we are one team, one world.
So let’s play for peace—together.”

Her words reflect the heart of AYLCI’s mission: helping young people grow into compassionate leaders who shape a peaceful future.

AYLCI’s partnership with IPYG is more than a program—it is a blueprint for how youth leadership, education, and civic action can transform communities. From city proclamations to youth-led initiatives, their work demonstrates a powerful truth:

When young people lead, peace becomes possible.

Source: https://vo.la/5ckWLdQ