MONROVIA – On Saturday, July 5, 2025, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai addressed a large gathering at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Monrovia, delivering stirring remarks during Liberia’s National Reconciliation, Healing, and Unity Program. The event drew a broad spectrum of Liberians, including government officials, civil society members, survivors, and international guests, all united to confront the painful legacy of Liberia’s past and to chart a path toward healing and unity.
President Boakai began by acknowledging the collective pain endured by Liberians during decades marked by civil war, loss, and displacement. He emphasized the importance of not only remembering this difficult past but also recommitting to reconciliation, justice, and a shared national future rooted in dignity and compassion. “We gather here to reflect deeply on the soul of our country,” he stated, calling the program a platform for Liberians from all counties and backgrounds to confront their shared history honestly.
The president underscored that many Liberians have long carried their pain in silence and that this public event offers a space for open dialogue and closure. He insisted that reconciliation must be a lived experience embraced by all citizens rather than a top-down decree. Highlighting the nation’s efforts to honor former presidents William R. Tolbert Jr. and Samuel K. Doe, Boakai framed their memory as symbolic of a generation lost to violence and trauma and stressed that Liberia is still fighting to reclaim its soul.
Since the cessation of hostilities in 2003, Liberia has faced the enormous challenge of rebuilding not only infrastructure but also trust among its people. President Boakai spoke candidly about the ongoing struggles faced by many Liberians who lost loved ones, were displaced, or grew up amid conflict. He rejected calls to simply “move on,” emphasizing the deep scars left on families and communities and asserting that these wounds must guide the nation’s healing journey.
In a historic and heartfelt moment, President Boakai offered a formal apology on behalf of the Liberian state to all victims of the civil conflict, their families, and communities devastated by years of violence. “We say: WE ARE SORRY,” he declared. He acknowledged the state’s failure to protect its citizens during the darkest chapters of the nation’s history and vowed that Liberia must ensure such failures never recur.
Boakai stressed that this apology must be followed by concrete action. His administration recommitted to implementing key recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, reviving the National History Project to produce a comprehensive and inclusive account of Liberia’s past, and establishing a National Memorial to honor the more than 250,000 lives lost in the conflict. The preservation of the TRC archives, he said, would serve as a testament to Liberia’s collective memory and conscience.
The president framed reconciliation not as a single event but as an ongoing journey and a shared responsibility. He called on all sectors of society, ministries, civil society, development partners, and the private sector, to redouble efforts in support of the 18-year Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, Peacebuilding, and Reconciliation, a visionary framework set to conclude in 2030. With only five years remaining, he urged urgency in fulfilling this generational promise. Quoting the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., Boakai reminded Liberians that “peace is not just the absence of war. It is the presence of justice.” He invited the nation to build a peace that is inclusive, just, and enduring, one that honors those lost, supports survivors, and secures the future for Liberia’s children.
Closing his remarks, President Boakai expressed hope that this program would mark a turning point, positioning Liberia to claim its rightful place on the global stage. “May God bless you all, and may God bless our nation as we think Liberia, love Liberia, and build Liberia together,” he concluded.
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