FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION
Excerpts from a report sent to CPNN by Patrick Mulemeri, Congo Peace Network (translated by CPNN)
For the commemoration of the International Day of Peace, activities were held September 21, 2016, in the great hall of MWANGA college. 271 people attended, mainly composed young members of the CPN clubs [Congo Peace Network], their families, guests from partner organizations (Christian AID, UNJHRO, Counterpart International …), the delegation of the University students for peace and social sciences in Butare in Rwanda, as well as local authorities and young people from different local churches.
Six young local musicians began the celebration
(Click on photo to enlarge)
After presentations of music, poetry and literature and accompanied by an exposition of artwork for peace, there were a series of speeches for peace.
Speeches by young university peace activists from Butare
The students from the Protestant University of Butare, which is in partnership with CPN, were represented by their delegate who spoke about peace in a regional context, as necessary for security, development and freedom. The benefits are not only for everyone at the present time, but above all for generations to come. They demand peaceful coexistance, because, as Gandhi liked to say, an eye for an eye will make us all blind.
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(Click here for the original version of this article in French)
What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?
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Speech by youth from CPN clubs
The CPN youth speech criticized how young people are being manipulated and used by invisible players to destroy their own lives and society; instead, young people should be involved in the country’s development projects. They congratulated CPN for its training which makes them a vector of peace for development and rehabilitation of the country.
Speech for peace in English by a CPN youth.
A young CPN member read his speech in English. Beginning with decrying what happened in Kinshasa during the month of peace, he commented that while we commemorate the international day of peace, there are those in the refugee camps who suffer in all kinds of weather conditions after being forced to abandon their houses and their fields.
What we are living in the North Kivu province is far from “peace” because every second there are violations of human rights, murder, massacre, murder, kidnapping etc. Whole communities are being killed. We are told they are in conflict, although for decades they lived harmoniously together. Peaceful cohabitation between ethnic communities would not be a problem, were it not for invisible hands that work in the shadows to destroy peace.
Presentation of the book “1000 Youth Peace expressions of CPN”
The celebration of International Peace Day was also an opportunity for CPN to present the book “1000 Youth Peace expressions” which conveys the youth’s expressions of peace through drawings, essays, poems and music.