Category Archives: Africa

Togo: Women’s groups in the Plateaux region sensitized on social cohesion and the culture of peace in Atakpamé

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from Television Togolese

The Minister of Social Action, Advancement of Women and Literacy, Tchabinandi Kolani Yentchare spoke on Thursday, 30 March in Atakpamé, to people from the Plateaux region, in this case women, regarding the involvement and role of women in the maintenance and culture of peace.

This meeting is part of the tour to raise awareness about the contribution of women to the promotion of social cohesion and a culture of peace coupled with support to the funds of women’s groups. This awareness-raising, initiated by the Ministry of Social Action, the Promotion of Women and Literacy, is a response to United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), which underlines the importance of full gender equality, conflict prevention and resolution, and peace-building and peace-keeping.

The objective of this session is to strengthen the capacity of women on their role in
culture and peacekeeping in their respective families and communities. It is a question of equipping them with the skills that are conducive to the promotion and culture of peace so that they can fully play their role as peace ambassadors.

(Click here for the original French version)

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Question for this article

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

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The Minister of Social Action, Women’s Development and Literacy underlined the UN peacekeeping strategies, which were adopted by the United Nations at a summit on the Sustainable Development Goals. The 16th objective of the Goals focuses on the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, access to justice for all and the strengthening of responsible and effective institutions at all levels . To this end, Togo has embraced this dynamic and has integrated the notion of gender in its development, social cohesion and peace promotion strategies to involve everyone in the Implementation of development policies. She urged women to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the government to develop skills in order to rise to the same level as men in positions of national and international responsibility. She finally invited everyone to pray for peace, solidarity, self-control and forgiveness.

In addition, Minister Tchabinandi Kolani Yentchare handed over to 15 women’s groups in the Plateaux region, specializing in the processing, preservation and sale of agricultural products, financial envelopes amounting to 400,000 CFA francs per group, ie a total of CFAF 6,000.00 for women’s groups in the region. This gesture is a gift from the government and aims to support and financially support these women’s groups in their income-generating activities in order to reduce poverty in rural areas. She also submitted, on behalf of the government, a batch of material consisting of 415 bundles of 0.15 cm metal roofing sheets; 415 bundles of 0.20 cm sheets and 50kg of roofing nails to aid in reconstruction for the victims of recent natural disasters in the Plateaux region.

The prefect of Ogou, Akakpo Edoh, on behalf of the beneficiaries expressed his gratitude to the government for these actions taken to promote the development of women in his region.

Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Côte d’Ivoire: National Police: 639 staff trained in culture of peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Daniel Assouman for Fraternité Matin (translated by CPNN)

In order to strengthen socio-security dialogue, the National Police School has strengthened the operational capacities of police officers. The program of five months was initiated by the Director General of the National Police, Kouyaté Youssouf..


(Click on photo to enlarge)

The director general of the national police, Commissary Major, Kouyaté Youssouf, plans to strengthen the dialogue within the institution and also between the police and the population, in order to guarantee security.

To this end, he has signed a partnership with “Verbatims”, a training and support institute for the prevention of conflicts related to identity. By means of 24 refresher and training sessions, 639 police officers, including 79 women and police of all ranks, received capacity building on culture of peace techniques.

These sessions, which began in November 2016 and ended on March 10, 2017, were structured around six modules. These included:
* the notion of ethnicity,
* prejudices and stereotypes,
* identities and conflicts at the micro-social level,
* identities and conflicts at the macro-social level,
* the notion of nationality,
* elections and political candidacies
   
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(click here for the original French version)

Question for this article:

Where are police being trained in culture of peace?

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Marie Stenbock-Fermor, Chair of the Verbatims Board of Directors, recalled that the Project, called “Support the Strengthening of Socio-Security Dialogue” (Pards) is financed by the European Union and Implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Its general goal is to bring the police and the population closer together, in particular, through the organization of police-population dialogue workshops and public forums in order to reduce considerably the mistrust between the population and the police.

During the course of the work, the participants concentrated on reflections on the internal cohesion of the police and the image of the police within the population, according to the Marie Stenbock-Fermor. With regard to internal cohesion, she noted that within the police some deviant behaviors were observed by the hierarchy. For example, questioning colleague with regard to ethnicity and mentioning ethnic prejudices and stereotypes.

According to her, these behaviors that stem from different crises are sources of frustration, mistrust, contempt, withdrawal, fear between colleagues and they severely harm the efficiency of service to the population. That is why she found it necessary to carry out the training.

Returning to the image of the police within the population, she was reassuring. She pointed out that through training, there will be a real improvement in respect for the police by the population., especially to the extent that they perceive new behaviors on the part of the police officers both in terms of reception of complaints and treatment of persons who have committed offenses.

The Director of Training and the National Police School, Chief Police Commissioner Touré Kouacou Albert, who represented the Director General of the National Police, urged the participants to put into practice what had been learned . He transmitted the encouragement of the Director General of the National Police.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Nonviolent Peaceforce in South Sudan: The extremes of the human spirit

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article by Mel Duncan of Nonviolent Peaceforce

I have just returned from South Sudan. I am heartbroken and inspired. Adequate adjectives escape me. In such extremes, words can lose their meaning. How easily terms like famine, gender based violence, internally displaced, etc. can become abstractions even for the most compassionate of us. I was overwhelmed with anger as I stood with people in the dust, heat, and destruction while armed men lurked close by.


Yet, even in those conditions, I saw glimmers of resilience forming into action. For example, I sat in a hot, dark hut with 100 women, most of whom are rape survivors, as they talked about preventing children from becoming soldiers, intervening when violence flares and organizing rallies to bring opposing clans together. They told me about transporting a rape survivor in a wheelbarrow to a medical clinic. Even with limited resources, these women tirelessly work to protect themselves and others. They want a voice at the peace talks! Seldom have I felt such energy and spirit!

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Question for this article

Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

Can peace be achieved in South Sudan?

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NP’s teams are training and supporting these women peacekeepers ̶ close to a thousand at work in five locations. Regardless of how bleak the prognosis, we will align with those who without particular power or skill are nonviolently changing the world. The lead article in Sunday’s New York Times, War Consumes South Sudan, a Young Nation Cracking Apart illustrates the horror in places like Bentiu ̶ where we have a team of 21 civilian protectors. Amid the Times’ stories of murder, starvation and gang rape they neglect to tell about these remarkable women who have stepped through the brutality and are working to protect themselves and others. These women not only represent a personal resilience but more importantly, they embody the deepest strength of the human spirit.

    “My heart is moved by all I cannot save:
    so much has been destroyed
    I have to cast my lot with those
    who age after age, perversely,
    with no extraordinary power,
    reconstitute the world.”

    ― Adrienne Rich

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Burkina Faso: Dialogue of religions and cultures: prospects for the Ouagadougou symposium

, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Fasozine

On the eve of the opening of the international symposium on the dialogue of religions and cultures in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, the two main initiators of the meeting, Filippe Sawadogo* and Lazare Ki-Zerbo*, discuss in this interview the substance and the highlights of this important meeting on education for the culture of peace.


Lazare Ki-Zerbo* and Filippe Savadogo*

Fasozine.com: Ouagadougou is hosting an international symposium on the dialogue between religions and cultures from 3 to 7 March. Does this mean that the dialogue does not yet exist?

Lazare Ki-Zerbo: It is simply that the situation today invites us to remobilize the mechanisms of dialogue that exist and that have always existed. The Burkinabe people like to stand up to fight against injustices, andviolations. But there are times when we must also know how to fight for peace and for national cohesion. In the light of current events, you will agree that we must really mobilize to preserve and anticipate. We can not sit idly by while our neighboring countries deteriorate and disintegrate.

The initiative aims to strengthen the culture of peace in Burkina Faso and in Africa. What do you think are the ingredients of this culture of peace?

Filippe Savadogo: First of all, peaceful coexistence, which we express through living together. And this is reflected in several mechanisms and sources. By considering our traditional endogenous values, we observe, for example, that joking alliances – which we call “sinagouya” or “rakire” – have been able to temper many concerns during certain crises. Moreover, Africa has always been a continent where the culture of dialogue is a constant part of the education of young people from early childhood: respect for others, initiation to values, etc., and we must revisit all these questions in a world where challenges are only multiplying.

Finally, we also have external supports, such as democracy, good governance, human relations … which we can cultivate by adding new dimensions to build the African man of the new century, a century in which culture becomes engagement and contribution on several horizons towards a better future.

In the face of growing incivility, what place do you give to civic education in this process?

Lazare Ki-Zerbo: The growing incivility reflects the fact that there is a break in the intergenerational bond. In response, our initiative promotes education for peace, a process that should begin at school from a very young age. This is where the mechanisms of living together are learned. The roots of incivility, intolerance and violence must therefore be attacked by an intensive dissemination of the principles of peaceful cohabitation and acceptance of the other. These are the real mechanisms. The problem can not be solved by coercion and brutality.

How would you describe the level of coexistence among different religions in Burkina Faso at the present time?

Filippe Savadogo: In Burkina Faso, the recognition of religious pluralism is a reality. There are also consultations between religious leaders. A good example is the association “faitiere” which is presided by his majesty the Mogho Naaba and which initiates searches of endogenous solutions when there is crisis or misunderstanding.

However, we can also say that nothing should be taken for granted. We must therefore continue to cultivate respect and to understand that the acceptance of difference is an added value. Burkina Faso, a country in the heart of West Africa, has always been a crossroads for dialogue, peaceful cohesion, welcoming and learning about the positive values ​​of other peoples.

Faced with the extremist and terrorist threats, what answers does the Ouagadougou symposium intend to bring?

Lazare Ki-Zerbo: Burkina Faso, is, in effect, at the head of the great old Sahel – the Niger loop, the great empires. To the south we are in relation with the coastal countries, to the west we have this long Border with the Mandingo world … I think that’s what makes us rich. A bit like Cameroon, Burkina is also an Africa in miniature and that is our strength. The fact that we have been at the center of all these great influences has allowed us to take advantage of their contributions and to become stronger.

The message of the symposium is thus: consolidate this capital, which is at the same time social, cultural, historical. A capital that is our wealth and can be a bulwark against the forces of division and separation.

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(Click here for the original French version of this article)

Question related to this article:
 
How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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Several well-known personalities take part in this meeting. What do you expect from their participation?

Filippe Savadogo: I believe that the presence of those who gained experience in the generation of independence, as well as scholars and scholars from several disciplines, reflects the fact that we want to put at the center of this symposium a framework of reflections that can lay the foundation for an action plan for the years to come. That is why we are thinking first of all of the major groups in our region, including personalities from ECOWAS countries (Sahelian countries) and the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) West African Economic and Monetary Union. We will have many high-ranking personalities from these countries who will share their experiences.

The symposium welcomes, among others, a professor who comes from Central Africa, a country emerging from a crisis, which is now better, and who should share his experience with the participants. We can also mention the presence of the former President of the Transition in Burkina Faso, Michel Kafando, a great witness of his time, who will explain, from the first day of the symposium, the sources and resources that allowed the transition to overcome its obstacles.

Finally, the presence of the Secretary General of the International Organization of the Francophonie, Michaëlle Jean – who is staying in Burkina Faso as part of a visit – brings us the helpful dimension of the Fez process. Indeed, the question of interreligious and intercultural dialogue is a concern for all of the Francophonie. And at the last summit, heads of state and government still encouraged this kind of symposium …

So, are there bridges to be established between the “Libres ensemble” of La Francophonie and this symposium?

Absolutely! To the extent that everything leads to good governance, to democracy, but also to living together, which is a segment of being “free together” with the help of youth and women. Unesco also plays a significant role, since it has a tradition of researching the culture of peace. We also have Isesco with Dr. Cheikh Boubacar Doukouré, who has participated in the Baku process of the Alliance of Civilizations, as well as many others who will share their experiences with stakeholders from across our subregion. The press is also included because we have a large theme of “Media and Society”.

What do you think of the recent measure taken by the Beninese authorities to prohibit any religious grouping in public spaces? Is it, in your opinion, desirable? Exportable?

I think that a dialogue has been established on this issue with a pause for better reflection. But in another dimension, we can talk about the secularity of our states and the organization of all these issues. So we can find a solution in time, knowing that history is also a projection of the future.

Following the symposium of Cotonou, of which this is the continuation, how will you judge whether the symposium of Ouagadougou is successful or redundant?

Lazare Ki-Zerbo: We received a mandate from the Cotonou symposium to hold the national meeting in Burkina Faso because we know we have our own specificities. We will do it with local players, knowing that very often our human wealth is not sufficiently valued.

Thus, as an example, Cheikh Boubacar Doukouré, who is the president of Isesco’s executive committee (Unesco for the Muslim world), is also the president of the assembly of African ulemas, created recently in Morocco. He is a reference in this field, taking part in this symposium, which is also honored by the presence of Mr. Halidou Ouédraogo, President of the Human Rights Foundation. There is therefore considerable knowledge and know-how related to Burkina that will be highlighted in the symposium.

And all this will contribute to the drafting of the action plan …

Absolutely! The main thrusts of a plan for a peace education will emerge from the debates. We already have some ideas with the media and the researchers, so that we can arrive at an action plan. Its implementation will be supervised by a follow-up committee.

* Filippe Savadogo

Former Minister of Culture, Tourism and Communication, Filippe Savadogo, 63, is the coordinator of a French-speaking platform called Continental Horizon. He has served as the ambassador from Burkina Faso in France and then permanent representative of La Francophonie to the United Nations in New York. He was awarded the “Visionary Award” at the Pan-African Film Festival in 2013 in Los Angeles. The Burkina Faso diplomat is also the coordinator for Burkina Faso of the African Initiative for Education for Peace and Development through Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue.

* Lazare Ki-Zerbo

Author and actor in the Pan-African Movement and member of several civil society organizations – Manifesto for Freedom – Movement of Intellectuals, Joseph Ki-Zerbo International Committee for Africa and its Diaspora (Cijkad), Bandung Spirit Network – Lazare Ki -Zerbo was special advisor to the promoter of the African Initiative for Education for Peace and Development through Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue led by Albert Tévoèdjrè. A graduate of the Institute of Federalism of Freiburg and the Austrian Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution of Burg Schlaining, he was also a program specialist at the Organization internationale de la francophonie from 2004 to 2014.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Rwanda: Peace Education Added to National Curriculum

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from KT Press

Twenty three years ago, Rwanda was at the extreme of destruction – a million lives were lost in a genocide against Tutsi. However, when the Rwanda Patriotic Front stopped the genocide and defeated government army, it embarked on a battle to build a peaceful country.

Next year, students in Primary, secondary and university will begin studying ‘peace building’ as part of their curriculum. Students are considered important change agents including; educators, decision makers and researchers. Government has found it necessary to integrate Peace education into the National Education Curriculum under a new program ‘Education for Sustainable Peace in Rwanda(ESPR)’.


Fidele Ndayisaba, the Executive Secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission
Click on photo to enlarge

ESPR program was launched today by the Ministry of Education during a three day Peace Education conference that is taking place in Kigali from February 20-22.

Over 100 local and international peace building experts, researchers, are holding panel discussions exchanging through existing tools , methodology and content contributing to a stronger base for peace education.

Based on the genocide history, Rwanda is taken as a good example that peace education can have a great impact.

“Rwanda has a lot to share on peace education but also in other areas of progress,” said Johan Debar, in charge of Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium Embassy to Rwanda, also one of speakers.

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Question for this article:

Peace Studies in School Curricula, What would it take to make it happen around the world?

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Kenny Osborne, Deputy Head of Department For International Development in Rwanda and also one speakers said that Rwanda continues to invest in basic education to take these lessons to regional level.

Isaac Munyakazi, the Minister of State in charge of primary and secondary education told participants that he was confident the program would achieve its aim – by catalysing pluralistic and constructive exchange.

“We need to equip our teachers to make sure the program will be implemented,” Munyakazi said.

The Rwanda Peace Education Program(RPEP) was launched through collaborative efforts between Aegis, Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace, Radio La Benevolencia and USC Shoah Foundation.

Under RPEP, 7500 students and 300 teachers were across the country trained.

“Through this program we saw successful integration of peace and values. Lessons from RPEP will be taught to students in a every class in the country,” Munyakazi told participants.

Fidele Ndayisaba, the Executive Secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission told participants, “intergeneration transmission and trauma are still issues to deal with; however reconciliation is a continuous process.”

The Peace Education Conference was for the first time organised by Aegis Trust – that campaigns to prevent genocide worldwide; with the support of the UK, Sweden and US governments.

(Thank you to the Newsletter of the Global Campaign for Peace Education for bringing this article to our attention.)

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

2015-16 Recipients of UN Youth Solidarity Fund, Africa and Middle-East

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

From the website of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) supports youth-led organizations that foster peaceful and inclusive societies by providing direct funding to outstanding projects promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Established in 2008, the Fund responded to calls for action made by youth-led organizations around the world on the importance of establishing funding mechanisms for youth. Today, the Fund is more relevant than ever: As the global agenda increasingly speaks of youth’s participation and contribution to peace, development and security, it is critical to support this participation and contribution through funding and partnership opportunities.


Foto from AFCIG
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

The funded projects are youth-led and youth-focused (18-35 years) but have an impact on entire communities, often involving religious or political leaders, policy-makers, educational institutions and media organizations. The Fund also links small scale and local work to larger movements for social and global change, for a broader and deeper impact.

UNAOC offers technical support and capacity building to the organizations during and/or after the implementation of funded projects in the areas of gender mainstreaming, media relations, advocacy, financial management, networking, sustainability, monitoring and evaluation.

Since 2008, UNAOC has launched four editions of the YSF and provided funding to youth-led organizations based in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. A total of 43 projects were completed as of 2015 reaching a total of over 800,000 persons (youth and non-youth) in over 30 countries.

Here are the five projects chosen in 2015-2016 to be supported (text abbreviated):

1) Action Foundation Common Initiative Group (AFCIG)

AFCIG, based in Cameroon, enables youth to attain independence through self-help, good health and entrepreneurship, in a culture of excellence, gender sensitivity, leadership and innovation. Its key areas of work are: conducting research; developing and implementing programs and projects to promote the development of youth; and advocating for the creation of an enabling environment within which youth can develop. Their projects focus of human and electoral rights, culture and peacebuilding, health and HIV/AIDS, education and entrepreneurship and the environment. . .

One Cameroon (OC) seeks to promote tolerance, respect and acceptance of different religions, cultures and languages by Cameroonian youth. The project encourages youth to leverage the advantages inherent in both cultures and different religions, such as the ability to speak both French and English. It will promote unity among youth from all backgrounds, reject secessionist tendencies and promote peace and unity between Muslims, Christians and Traditionalists in the context of increasing islamophobia. By the end of the project AFCIG expects to:

– Organize 3 workshops to train 60 peer educators to develop their capacity to promote the strength of their country’s diversity, religious and cultural tolerance amongst youth and other Cameroonians;

– Develop a media campaign on peace, religious and cultural tolerance, especially with respect to the Anglophone-Francophone cultures and the Christian-Muslim religions to reach over 2 million Cameroonians in the form of social media posts, spots broadcast on national television, music and radio debates promoting religious and cultural tolerance broadcast on local radio.

2) Approches Locales pour le Développement Durable (ALDED)

ALDED, based in Cameroon, aims to contribute to improving the living conditions of disadvantaged and marginalized populations through the valorization of local initiatives for sustainable development. Its key areas of work are: support for socio-economic integration of young people of all categories; independent monitoring of public policies at local level; promotion and protection of human rights and the fight against corruption. . .

ALDED proposed a project that would contribute to strengthening religious tolerance and constructive dialogue in this context, especially among youth. The project aims to contribute to improving the understanding and the culture of interreligious tolerance in the young population of central, southern and eastern regions Cameroon. By the end of the project ALDED expects to:

– Organize 3 radio roundtables between representatives of different religious faiths and local boards of the Youth in target regional capitals on issues of religious tolerance in Cameroon;

– Create a Facebook forum of around 3000 young people to exchange on challenges and opportunities of religious, cultural and ethnic diversity in Cameroon;

– Produce awareness raising and educational materials (streamers, bilingual comic strips) on interreligious stigma and discrimination and on the difference between the principles of peace promoted by religions such as Islam and acts of religious extremism made by extremist groups such as Boko Haram;

– Train 90 youth leaders on interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance;

– Establish a network of 90 focal points monitoring and managing conflicts arising from interreligious stigma and discrimination.

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Question for this article

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

How can just one or a few persons contribute to peace and justice?

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3) Leadership Initiative for Youth Empowerment (LIFE)

LIFE works in Nigeria since 2012 to empower young people with life skills, information and capacity building to promote their self-actualization. The organization’s key areas of work are: human rights, leadership, peacebuilding and intercultural learning. . .

Leadership Initiative for Youth Empowerment (LIFE) through its Volunteer Corps intends to intervene in this challenge. Specifically, LIFE will train young people from the Muslim community of internally displaced persons and young people from the local community, including Christians and others, to serve as Intercultural Ambassadors. These ambassadors will serve as interns in churches and mosques and will implement community events to promote understanding and tolerance. The project aims at promoting intercultural learning as a key element for peace in Lagos State. By the end of the project LIFE expects to:

– Train 60 youth representatives to act as intercultural ambassadors and increase intercultural learning among internally displaced persons and community residents in 6 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos State Nigeria;

– Raise awareness on the importance of intercultural and interreligious learning for peaceful co-existence for 3,000 young people and 30,000 community members in 6 LGAs;

– Organize 5-month internships for the 60 intercultural ambassadors in 30 religious organizations;

– Offer 4 awareness-raising sessions on intercultural learning for peaceful co-existence to 1,200 participants in 6 LGAs.

4) Palestinian Center for Communication and Development Strategies (PCCDS)

PCCDS works since 2009 in the West Bank in the areas of youth, human rights and development. They build the capacity of youth on the issues of democracy, justice, social accountability, non-violence and human rights. . .

PCCDS’s project proposes to open new doors of dialogue among Palestinian Islamist, Secular and Liberal youth, animated by the belief that young men and women have a strong power to change themselves and effect positive social change. It also aims to further empower young Palestinians to be part of the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and contribute to peacebuilding. By the end of the project, they expect to:

– Train 50 students from 2 universities on intellectual and cultural dialogue;

– Sensitize 390 young Islamist, Secular and Liberal young people on the necessity of intellectual and cultural dialogue;

– Issue two booklets written by young Islamist, Secular and Liberal participants on intellectual and cultural dialogue and distribute them in cooperation with university administrations;

– Launch an online forum for intellectual and cultural dialogue giving space to the multiple perspectives and a platform for their interaction;

– Hold an anti-extremism youth national dialogue conference and mainstream its outcomes with the media, government, political parties and community leaders.

5) YaLa Palestine

YaLa believes in the power of education to empower young Palestinians and Middle Easterners to build a better, more peaceful future for themselves and for the region. YaLa works since 2011 to develop on- and off-line educational projects in the areas of citizen journalism, community organizing, youth empowerment, dialogue and peacebuilding. YaLa believes that citizen journalism is a powerful tool to provide a counter voice to the traditional media that often inflames conflict and tensions. Citizen journalism can be used to create a space for individuals to promote nuanced perspectives that underpin the processes of understanding, peace and reconciliation. . .

YaLa proposed a project that would harness new media activism as an unprecedented opportunity for influencing the younger generation and the wider public in MENA in favor of greater understanding, coexistence and peace. Through citizen journalism training and practice, the project seeks to enable Arab and Israeli youth to engage new media more effectively to promote positive messages of understanding and peace, and to develop acquaintance, empathy and trust via online and face-to-face learning and collaboration opportunities. Ultimately, the youth will be motivated to develop and share – with each other and the world – original and fresh citizen journalism pieces on their identity, religion, traditions, daily life, aspirations and other issues of importance to them as a way to increase mutual understanding and cooperation and reduce conflict and polarization. By the end of the project, YaLa expects to:

– Conduct a 4-month online training program in Citizen Journalism for Coexistence for 55 Palestinian, Israeli and MENA youth, meeting on a bi-weekly basis;

– Hold two face-to-face workshops on storytelling and videomaking for 20 Palestinian and 20 Israeli youth participants;

– Produce a video of the storytelling and videomaking workshops to offer as an online learning resource for MENA participants and other youth;

– Post and disseminate online and in mainstream and non-mainstream media some of the journalism pieces produced by the participants in order to advocate for and foster a more inclusive and diverse practice of media production and consumption.

Africa, Mideast, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY,

Africa: The Festival of Amani strengthens our ability to live together

. EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Radio Okapi (translated by CPNN)

The 4th edition of the Amani Festival ended on Sunday (February 12th) in Goma (North Kivu). Over its three days, more than 30,000 people from all walks of life took part in this great cultural event for the promotion of peace in the Great Lakes region. Music, dance, exhibition of works of art, promotion of entrepreneurship … there was a diversity that pleased everyone.

The organizers of the festival are pleased with the success of this event, which they believe is contributing to peace building efforts in the region.

“Our goal is to reinforce our ability to live together. And in a post-conflict region, like the [Great Lakes] region, where many of the young people who attended the festival have lived through traumatic times, the festival fits in with its theme of being able to encourage living together” explained Vianney Bisimwa, the festival administrator.

The event provided an opportunity to strengthen the links between people and to help alleviate the trauma that the young people have lived through, he continued.

When people gather at this festival, they do not see themselves as ethnic groups, or other forms of identity differences, but “on the contrary, they look at each other in relation to what they have in common. It means the love of music and dance and the attachment to entrepreneurship. ”

One of the positive results of the festival, according to Vianney Bisimwa, are opportunities in the entrepreneurship sector:

“We have previously seen the success of the project CIGOM, a project funded by the Amani festival, which engages in the production of chalk. And we have many artists who, after the festival, have undertaken [some projects]. ”

[Note: For CPNN articles about the previous three editions of the Amani festival, see here for 2016, here for 2015 and here for 2014.]

(Click here for the original French version of this article)

 

Question related to this article:

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Benin to introduce education for culture of peace

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from aContonou

Some 100 actors in the Beninese education system have been examining since Thursday in Cotonou the practical modalities of introducing, in the national education system, the manual on education for peace, human rights, citizenship, democracy and regional integration prepared by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).


Paulin Hountondji, President of the National Council of Education © Autre presse by DR
Click on photo to enlarge

Speaking at the opening of the national workshop on education for a culture of peace in Benin, Paulin Hountondji, chairman of the National Council of Education of Benin, deplored the fact that this manual, published by the ECOWAS, is not in use in schools in the subregion and particularly in Benin while the need is urgent on the ground.

“Recognizing the limitations of the security approach that privileges military responses, ECOWAS has deemed it opportune and even imperative to develop, for all member countries of its space, this manual “to construct the defenses of peace in the minds of men.”

He also felt that with the exacerbation of religious terrorism and the tragedies that it brings to life on a daily basis in the world, in Africa and particularly in the West African subregion, the approach to peace by another path becomes a categorical imperative

(Click here for the original version of this article in French)

Question for this article:
Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

2016 WFUNA Young Leader is Zimbabwean

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article from the Herald

Zimbabwean youth Bernard Bebe has been selected as the World Federation of United Nations Associations Young Leader of 2016 following his outstanding contribution towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.

Bernard, of the Zimbabwe United Nations Association ZUNA, was selected after a rigorous process supported by an evaluating committee composed of three members of the WFUNA Youth Advisory Council in addition to WFUNA secretariat staff.

The top three nominees were interviewed based on their contribution to the development of the UNA Leadership qualities, overall work on peace and security issues and their strong understanding of elements contained in UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.

Bernard had been actively involved in the field of peace for a year In 2013 he joined UNA-Zimbabwe whilst he was a second-year student at Bindura University of Science Education.

He is in the national team responsible for organising Peace Day in Zimbabwe through a coalition of peace activists from both civil society and the Government.

Currently, he is working to proactively counter religious conflicts through a programme called Religious Tolerance in which he is working mostly with different religious groups in Zimbabwe to cultivate a culture of peace.

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Question for this article

Is there a renewed movement of solidarity by the new generation?

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Bernard works mostly with youths from high schools and universities. He has also been actively involved in ending gender based violence against women and girls.

He is also a trained human rights activist who has a keen interest in promoting women rights.

Speaking after the nomination Bernard said he was humbled by the recognition from such a renowned world body.

“This shows that the world is now appreciating the efforts of youths and at the same time taping into their potential,” he said.

“UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security has empowered us youths to step up our efforts in bringing about peace in our community therefore I will continue towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal number 16 which focus on promoting peace, justice and strong institutions.

“My message to other youths out there is that lets use our time to volunteer and bring positive change to our community especially in as far as these sustainable development goals are concerned because we are the SDG Generation,” said Bebe.

WFUNA supports and encourages youth engagement and participation in the United Nations Associations and United Nations Youth Associations around the world through the WFUNA Youth Network.

Every year, WFUNA sets a theme and calls for nominations for young people from the WFUNA Youth Network working within that theme.

From the nominations, the WFUNA secretary-general and WFUNA youth advisory council select three young leaders to be interviewed.

After each nominee is interviewed, a final candidate will be selected as the WFUNA young leader of the year. A WFUNA young leader of the year has to be able to inspire other youth to be involved in global issues

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Third Annual Africa Arts4Peace Forum to be held January 25-29

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

A document from the Africa Arts4Peace Forum

Building on the success of the first and second Africa Arts4Peace Forums in 2015 and 2016; as part of pre-events of the AU January Summits. The third Africa Arts4Peace Forum will be held from the 25 to 29 January 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the theme: ‘’Silencing the Guns by 2020; Role of Youth, Artists and Media’’. The meeting will discuss, strategize and co-create ways to strengthen youth, artistic and media leadership skills for the promotion of culture of peace; good governance, democracy and human rights in the realization of AU’s strategy on ‘Silencing the Guns’ by 2020 in Africa.

AAPI believes that the only viable and sustainable way to promote long lasting peace is to inculcate the culture of peace and non-violence in the minds of the citizenry and most especially the young (who are not only the future leaders, but the leaders of today). The forum and related activities will create a platform in which youth, artists, media and various stakeholders can co-create an ‘’action factory for peace’’, retool and advocate creatively for peace education, social justice, conflict prevention and non-violent conflict resolution strategies in Africa, using the AU and UN peace mechanisms as a prefix.

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Question for this article:

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?

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The African Artists Peace Initiative (AAPI) www.aapiafrica.org is a Pan-African movement of artists and peace-makers, championing a culture of peace and non-violence in Africa. The overarching objective is to use ”ARTS” as a weapon and tool for nurturing a culture of peace based on values, attitude, and ways of life conducive to the promotion of peace among individuals, groups and society. The movement is inspired by the AU Constitutive Act, AU Make Peace Happen Campaign, AU 2063 Agenda and the UNESCO Culture of Peace and Non-Violence Campaign.

AAPI currently has 43 country coordinating teams , 80 celebrity ambassadors, and over 10,000 members across Africa and Diaspora.

NOTE: AAPI does NOT have funding to cover the travels and accommodation for applicants/participants. We are available to support you in booking affordable accommodation in Addis-Ababa and obtaining an Ethiopian Visa Upon Arrival for countries without Ethiopian Embassies.

Email: arts4peaceforum@gmail.com for all inquiries and further information

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: 8TH JANUARY 2017

For the registration form, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE