Category Archives: Africa

First message to the nation from President Bassirou Diomaye Faye – on the eve of Senegal’s independence day

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

A report from The Point, Gambia (translation from the French by CPNN)

My dear compatriots,

Tomorrow, April 4, 2024, we celebrate the 64th anniversary of the independence of our country. To everyone, I extend my warm congratulations. I pay tribute to each and every one of you for your attachment to the cardinal virtues of peace and democracy that underpin our daily experience. The significant peaceful changes that we have just experienced demonstrate, once again, the maturity of our people, the vitality of our democracy and the strength of our institutions. We should all be proud of this great performance. This year again, by divine grace, our national holiday takes place under the sign of spiritual communion, with Easter Holy Week which has just concluded Lent and the month of Ramadan which is drawing to a close.

Given the circumstances, instead of the traditional parade, tomorrow I will preside over a simple and symbolic raising of colors ceremony at the Palais de la République. This evening, as we celebrate our newfound freedom, my thoughts go to our valiant resistance fighters, famous or unknown heroes, who, giving themselves body and soul, defied the odious colonial system and its so-called civilizing mission, to defend the freedom of our people and their values of culture and civilization. I would also like to salute with respect and affection our veterans, who sacrificed their youth far from their families, at the cost of their lives and their freedom.

I pay vibrant tribute to my predecessors, Presidents Senghor, Diouf, Wade and Sall, each of whom made his contribution to the work of national construction. It is on the basis of this legacy that I want to continue with you our collective quest for the Senegal of our dreams.

My dear compatriots,

The national holiday honors our Defense and Security Forces.

To you, officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel, who have chosen the risky profession of arms, I reaffirm the recognition of the Nation. I express to you my pride, my support and my complete confidence in your missions in the service of the homeland, peace in Africa and in the world. I salute the memory of our Jambaars who fell on the field of honor and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. The State will always stand in solidarity with their families, with care and compassion. The theme of this edition, The Armed Forces at the heart of national cohesion, challenges us with its topicality and relevance. It reminds us that beyond the ceremonial, the national holiday is above all an opportunity for individual and collective introspection on our common desire for a common life.

Our Defense and Security Forces, under the Army-Nation concept, symbolizing the diversity and cohesion of their socio-cultural components, offer us a fine example of what Senegalese living together should be like.

As Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces, and guarantor of national unity, I am determined to preserve our living together inherited from our ancestors; because we only have one homeland: Senegal, our common shelter, which we all love, which does not begin with us, and does not end with us.

In this spirit, my role, and I intend to assume it fully, is to reach out to everyone, to bring together, reassure, appease and reconcile, in order to consolidate the peace, security and stability essential to the economic and social development of our dear country. From east to west, from north to south, I hope that our dear Senegal remains united and indivisible, in peace and in harmony with our national motto: One People-One Purpose-One Faith. We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to our children. We owe it to future generations.

This is why our vibrant youth, the beating heart of the nation, will remain at the center of my concerns.

Dear young people of Senegal, I make your dreams, your aspirations, and your legitimate ambitions to succeed in order to be useful to yourselves, your families, your communities and your country my own. Education, career training, employment and entrepreneurship for young people and women remain major challenges to overcome. I will make it a high public policy priority, in consultation with the private sector. To this end, we must revisit existing mechanisms, improve and rationalize them so that they better meet the needs of employment and other income-generating activities for young people.

To encourage job creation, I plan to rely on a strong private sector because it is supported by the STATE. Based on our priority needs, we will work together to endogenize our economy. Of course, the international private sector will have its full role to play. The Senegalese are brave but they are tired and expect solutions from us to combat the high cost of living. The question of the cost of living particularly concerns me and commands my full attention. In the days to come, strong measures will be taken in this direction, after the consultations that I will undertake with the stakeholders concerned.

My dear compatriots, From independence to the present day, our political, institutional and judicial system has experienced many adventures, some happier than others.

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(Click here for the original version in French)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

How should elections be organized in a true democracy?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

Sixty-four years later, the time seems come to me to learn the lessons of our successes and our failures for a more modern, more republican public governance and more respectful of human rights. This is why, after resigning from my position as secretary general of PASTEF-Les Patriotes, to put myself above the fray, I will convene broad consultations with the political class and civil society for :

– Reform of the system electoral in particular;
– Replacement of the CENA by an Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) with a strengthening of its operating means and its prerogatives;
– Rationalizatio of the number of political parties, as well as their financing;
– Registration of citizens on the electoral register concomitantly with the issuance of the national identity document

“Moreover, to restore the image of justice, give it the value it deserves and reconcile it with the people in whose name it is rendered, I intend to organize meetings bringing together the professions of the profession (magistrates, lawyers, bailiffs , clerks and other justice officials), university professors and citizens to identify possible solutions to justice problems.

In the quest for a better Senegal for the benefit of all, I intend to establish virtuous governance, based on the ethics of responsibility and accountability. In addition, I will without delay initiate a bold policy of good economic and financial governance through:

– A relentless fight against corruption;
– Criminal repression of tax evasion and illicit financial flows;
– Protection of whistleblowers;
– Fight against the embezzlement of public funds and money laundering;
– Amnesty of nominees and their profit-sharing under the condition of self-denunciation;
– Publication of reports from the IGE, the Court of Auditors and OFNAC.

Likewise, the exploitation of our natural resources, which, according to the constitution, belong to the people, will receive particular attention from my government. Thus, in addition to the already effective posting of mining, oil and gas contracts online, on the EITI Senegal website, I will carry out the disclosure of the effective ownership of extractive companies, in accordance with the EITI Standard, at audit of the mining, gas and oil sector and more sustained protection of local content for the benefit of the national private sector. Furthermore, I would like to tell all our private partners that they are welcome in Senegal.

In accordance with the laws and regulations in force, the rights of the investor will always be protected, as will the interests of the State and the populations.

To our friendly and partner countries, I would like to assure that Senegal remains an open and welcoming country for all.

We will constantly strive to maintain and strengthen good neighborly relations and active solidarity within our community organizations, notably ECOWAS and UEMOA.

Heirs to the pan-Africanist ideal of Cheikh Anta Diop and Léopold Sédar Senghor, one of the founding fathers of the Organization of African Unity, we remain firmly committed to the construction of African integration and the achievement of the objectives of the Zone. of African continental free trade.

Our foreign partners from all walks of life are of equal dignity to us. We owe everyone respect and consideration. And we ask for respect and consideration from everyone. We will remain committed to fairer and more inclusive global governance, respecting the equal dignity of the values of cultures and civilizations.

My dear compatriots,

The national holiday, symbol of our sovereignty, reminds us that we are alone in the face of our destiny, and that no one will do for us what we are not willing to do for ourselves. We have the historical responsibility to consolidate our sovereignty by breaking the chains of economic dependence through the permanent cult of work and results. In this spirit, the Administration must act at all levels in a more welcoming and more efficient manner for users of the public service. We must ban from our practices undue procedures and formalities which alter the effectiveness of the State.

With this objective, we intend to invest massively in the digitalization of services and administrative procedures. Likewise, there is an urgent need to gain our food sovereignty by investing more and better in agriculture, fishing and breeding, the three nourishing breasts of our country.

I am particularly keen to ensure that the substantial subsidies spent each year in the agricultural campaign benefit real producers and not intermediary players.

Ultimately, my dear compatriots, the independence that we celebrate tomorrow is certainly a festive event, but also and above all a test of resilience and greatness for the nation. Our merit and our honor is to pass the test, displaying resolute confidence in ourselves, to overcome our fears and our doubts, to overcome the obstacles before us, and to continue together our united march towards our common destiny, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder. This is what I invite you to do, in the communion of hearts and minds. Long live Senegal, in peace and security, united, free and prosperous! 

Good evening and happy Independence Day.

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Togo: The craftsmen and motorcycle taxi drivers of Bassar are committed to patriotism and peace

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . . .

An article by Alida Akakpo in Lomegraph

In a coordinated approach aimed at encouraging patriotism and fostering an environment of peace, an initiative took place in the commune of Bassar, Togo. Around fifty young people, mainly craftsmen and motorcycle taxi drivers, participated in an awareness session on Monday March 25, 2024.

The session was organized by the Ministry of Human Rights, Citizenship Training and Relations with the Institutions of the Republic. During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the importance of patriotism and the culture of peace for development and national stability.

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

Questions related to this article:

Can a culture of peace be achieved in Africa through local indigenous training and participation?

The culture of patriotism and peace

The theme of awareness raising is “let’s preserve our homeland, let’s build peace and security together”. Its objective is to contribute to strengthening the patriotic fiber among young people, to bring them to love the homeland and to truly commit to peace and the co-production of security.

Tchakpala Alfa Olivier, head of the conferences and seminars division, and Tchandao Piabalo, study manager at the civic training directorate, interacted with the participants, addressing the themes of respect for authority, patriotism and promoting the culture of peace.

The speakers encouraged young people to feel pride in their nation and actively engage in preserving peace and progress of the country. In addition, practical advice was provided to help young people promote peace in their environment. They also stressed the importance of close collaboration with the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) as well as local authorities.

Participants are invited to convey the messages received within the population with a view to improving defense and protecting the interests of the Togolese.

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Ivory Coast: 46 community leaders from Bondoukou trained in the culture of peace and conflict prevention

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . . .

An article by Prince Beganssou in Afrik Soir (translation by CPNN)

A workshop to strengthen the technical capacities of social actors and community leaders on the culture of peace, prevention and management of conflicts in the locality of Bondoukou was held on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at the prefecture of the said city. Organized by the Ministry of National Cohesion, Solidarity and the Fight against Poverty (MCNSLP) through the National Social Cohesion Program (PNCS), this event brought together forty-six social leaders for a day of intense training

The main objective of this workshop was to equip social actors and leaders with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge in the areas of peace culture, conflict prevention and management. In particular, this initiative aims to consolidate peace and promote social cohesion in the locality of Bondoukou, in anticipation of the 2025 electoral deadlines.

The presence of the prefect of Bondoukou, Andjou Koua, and the Director General of the PNCS, Houssou Konan, as well as other important personalities, testifies to the State’s commitment to promoting peace. In their speeches, they highlighted the crucial importance of such initiatives for the well-being of communities and the sustainable development of the region.

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

Questions related to this article:

Can a culture of peace be achieved in Africa through local indigenous training and participation?

“Madam Minister thanks all social actors, in particular community leaders and neighborhood leaders who continually work to strengthen links between different social strata. Madam Minister also expresses her full commitment and deep recognition and above all she invites all stakeholders to appropriate the notions of peace, the fight against hate speech, and to use all the mechanisms that the trainer shared during this workshop to guarantee lasting peace in Gontougo”, underlined the Director General of the PNCS.

Participant engagement

The participants, made up of young people, women’s associations, traditional chiefs and community leaders, actively took part in this workshop. Their commitment demonstrates the collective desire to strengthen local conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms to guarantee lasting peace in Bondoukou.

In order to concretize and promote the values of peace, a new workshop is planned for Tuesday March 26 in Bongouanou. This will focus on strengthening the technical capacities of social actors and leaders in the management of rumors, the prevention and the fight against hate speech.

The capacity building workshop in Bondoukou marks an important step in promoting peace and social cohesion in Côte d’Ivoire. These efforts are essential to building more peaceful and resilient societies, and demonstrate the continued commitment to a better future for all.

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FIJCA 2024: JAZZ as an instrument of social cohesion in Ivory Coast

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Africa Radio (translation by CPNN)

“Jazz, youth of Ivory Coast and culture of peace” is the theme chosen for the 2nd edition of the International Festival of Jazz and African Cultures (FIJCA) which will be held from April 27 to May 1, 2024 in the Jessie Jackson sports complex of the commune of Yopougon .


March 18, 2024 at 1:23 p.m. by Juliette Abwa V/ Africa Radio Abidjan

Initiated by Constant Boty, this event is intended to be a tool for intercultural connection highlighting several disciplines: cultural and creative industries, literature and sport. The FJCA is not only a world-renowned musical event but is above all a cultural, educational and economic beacon.

In view of the electoral deadlines of 2025, the International Festival of Jazz and African Cultures positions itself as a means of raising awareness among young people about democracy, civic and citizen engagement in order to arouse in them the need to constitute themselves as agents of peace for a democratic, peaceful and prosperous Ivory Coast, a guarantee of all development. Hence the relevance of this year’s theme: “Jazz, youth of Ivory Coast and culture of peace”.

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(Click here for the French original of this article)

 

Question related to this article:

What place does music have in the peace movement?

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For Constant Boty, Commissioner General of the FJCA, the objective is to strengthen Peace and social cohesion, while encouraging the civic participation of young people and the empowerment of women. In addition, the festival will highlight the rich Ivorian cultural diversity with its many ethnic groups, create a bridge of cooperation between Ivorian youth and those of other countries, raise awareness among young people about a culture of peace in order to contribute to the animation and preservation of the historic town of Grand-Bassam, a UNESCO cultural heritage site.

Mame Oumar Diop, head of the UNESCO office in Abidjan, expressed her satisfaction with this initiative, emphasizing the ability of jazz to promote peace, dialogue and cooperation between peoples. The 4 days of the Festival will be include conferences, training workshops, Master-classes, tourist visits, sport, arts, with relaxation areas, concerts and games.

International artists will include Tatev, Tom Luer, Dj Logic from the USA, Guillaume Repain, JB Moundele, Le Petit Grain, Johanna Welter from France and Bassekou Kouyaté; John Kiffy, Kamikaz du Zouglou, Fitini Tecnick Le Créateur, INSAAC Jazz Ensemble, Yakomin, Jahelle Bonee, Yedidia and many others.

This new edition will headline Benito Gonzalez, a two-time GRAMMY Award-nominated pianist and contemporary jazz master who combines a long line of American jazz traditions with rhythms from around the world.

More than 3,000 people per day are expected to attend the festival with effective mobilization of all the populations of Abidjan, particularly young people.

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Dialogue Remains Best Key To End Conflicts In Africa – Obasanjo, Ex-President of Nigeria

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An article by  Bolaji Jimoh in New Telegraph of Nigeria

Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of Nigeria on Tuesday said dialogue remains the best way to end numerous crises in Africa.

Tinubu made this known while speaking at a youth leadership conference in Abeokuta on the theme, “Opportunities for Peace: Roles of the Youths in Conflict Prevention in Africa.”

According to him, in order to encourage young people to be leaders in promoting peace rather than being used as tools for committing acts of violence across the continent, efforts to instil in them a culture of security and peace must be intensified.

(Article continued in the column on the right)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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

(Article continued from the column on the left)

The programme which was organized by Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library and Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue is one of the events planned in honour of the former president’s 87th birthday.

As per the former President, it is imperative to prioritise compassion and tolerance over hateful narratives and negative attitudes that fuel conflicts and ultimately lead to violence. Peace is a non-negotiable for development and economic success.

Instead of being drawn in or utilised as tools of destabilisation, he added, young people in Africa ought to be agents of peace and stand hard against conflicts in any area of the continent.

“We must begin to bring up our youth in a culture of peace and security. The chances are that where we have a culture of love, we will have peace.

“The first thing to do is to inculcate in the youths the ingredients of peace, which is love and fellowship.

“Look at the attributes that God gave us to have a life of stability, a life of peace; they are, as I mentioned, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness,’’he said.

International Women’s Day: Africa and Middle East

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

A press survey by CPNN

In order to gather photos from the celebration of International Women’s Day, we put the following phrases into the google search engine:
° women’s day photos 2024
° Photos “Journée internationale de la femme” 2024
° Fotos”Día Internacional de la Mujer” 2024
° Fotos “Dia Internacional da Mulher” 2024

Here are the results from Africa and the Middle East.

ALGERIA

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) organized a meeting in Algiers on Wednesday to celebrate International Women’s Day, during which it reaffirmed its solidarity with Palestinian women against Zionist aggression. (from Dzair Scoop, l’Algérie au Quotidien)

AZERBAIJAN


Baku, Azerbaijan. Activists hold a rally in support of women’s rights. Photograph: Aziz Karimov/Reuters (from The Guardian)

CAMEROON

Women parade on International Women’s Day in Yaounde, Cameroon, on March 8, 2024. Women from all walks of life participated in the parade here on Friday. Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua (from Xinhua)

CÔTE D’IVOIRE


The women’s union of the National Investment Bank (UNIFEM) organized on Friday March 8, 2024 in Abidjan, a conference-debate on the theme “The challenges of development of women: professional, family and psychological challenges. (from News Abidjan)

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO


All dressed in black on the occasion of International Women’s Day, women from civil society, state civil servants, small traders, politicians, teachers, students and other social strata walk peacefully from the bridge Mulongwe to Unity Stadium. To the rhythm of mourning, accompanied by the melodies of Christian songs, these women carry banners and posters on which we can read: “The women of South Kivu demand an end to hostilities in the east of the DRC to increase the resources necessary for an equal Congo. We say no to the balkanization of the DRC. » (from Le Journal Africa

IRAQ


Baghdad, Iraq. Women chant slogans at a gathering on Al-Mutanabbi street in the city’s historic centre. Photograph: Ahmed Jalil/EPA (from The Guardian)

ISRAEL


A group of women stand along the beach, commemorating International Women’s Day by calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 8, 2024. AP Photo/Oded Balilty (from AP News)

KENYA

Radio Africa Group staff celebrating International Women’s Day at their offices in Nairobi March 8, 2024.. Image: COLLINS APUDO (from The Star, Kenya)

LEBANON


Women carry banners and flags during a protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza in front of the UN Women office in Sin El Fil, Lebanon, March 8. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (from Reuters)

Question related to this article:
 
Prospects for progress in women’s equality, what are the short and long term prospects?

MALI

As part of the celebration of March 8, International Women’s Day, the delegation of the European Union to Mali in partnership with the Association of Malian Lawyers, organized a conference-debate on Thursday March 7, 2024, at the campus of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropical Areas (ICRISAT) in Samanko. The event, focused on the theme “Women, Land and Economic Power: Crossed Perspectives between Positive Law and Customary Law”, brought together an attentive audience. (from Mali Web)

MOROCCO

Rabat – The Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (IRCAM) celebrated International Women’s Day on Friday in Rabat, under the theme of “the role of women in conflict management”. (from the Agence Marocaine de Presse

PALESTINE

Thousands of Palestinian women have taken to the streets for International Women’s Day in an attempt to shed light on the issue of incarcerated women who have had their fundamental rights taken away from them. The marches took place in several areas of the Gaza Strip and eventually met in front of the United Nations office. Women carried banners and demanded their right to work, healthcare, and education and called for an improvement to the country’s economy. Photo: Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor (from the Middle East Monitor)

SENEGAL

March 8 was celebrated with pomp by the women of the Sédhiou region, following the example of the international community which dedicates this date to the platform of women’s rights. Under the authority of the Minister of Senegalese Abroad, Dr Annette Seck Ndiaye, also President of the Sédhiou Departmental Council, these women examined the generic theme chosen this year, “Investing in women, accelerating the pace ”, from different angles. Respect for rights, access to business opportunities and the fight against irregular migration were the highlights of this day. (from Sud Quotidien of Senegal

SOUTH AFRICA

Johannesburg, South Africa. Protesters hold placards during a demonstration organised by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies in support of female hostages taken by Hamas militants. Photograph: Olympia de Maismont/AFP/Getty (from The Guardian)

TUNISIA


Women take to the streets in Tunisia for International Women’s Day to stand in solidarity with Palestinians. One sign reads, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to feminism everywhere.” (from the Twitter page of BT Newsroom)

TURKEY


A demonstrator poses before the police barriers near Taksim Square, Istanbul, Turkey, March 8. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya (from Reuters)

UGANDA

Ministers at the Women’s Day Celebration in Katakwi, Uganda. Credit Godfrey Ojore. (from New Vision Uganda)

Phase-2 of the Horn of Africa Peace Project Kicks off with an inception meeting at the AACC – African Union office

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article from All Africa Conference of Churches

The Horn of Africa Peace Project (Salama Hub) is an initiative that aims at peacebuilding, divesting from conflict systems and militarism, and promoting nonviolent approaches to instability in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. Since 2021, the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) has been implementing this project together working with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) with support from Bread for the World (BfdW). 


AACC, AFSC, and BdfW staff who participated in the inception meeting. Credit: Mahlet Abrahem

Questions related to this article:

Can a culture of peace be achieved in Africa through local indigenous training and participation?

As a strategic endeavor towards realizing Aspiration 4 of the Agenda 2063: A Peaceful and Secure Africa, the second phase of the Salama hub will run from 2024-2027, the project exists to deepen the culture of peace in Africa by equipping civil society and faith-based organizations in the Horn of Africa region. By providing CSOs and FBOs with research-based evidence and skills, this project will help them to effectively advocate for peaceful solutions and promote social cohesion within their communities.

Held on 21st February 2024, the inception meeting enabled the consortium members (AFSC & AACC) and their strategic partner (BfdW) to get a common understanding of the new project content, expected deliverables, and its related issues to do with compliance and accountability.   

“Through this new phase of interventions, African civil societies and faith leaders will interact efficiently with institutional stakeholders in Africa, Europe, and America for peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.” Noted Ms Mahlet Abrahem, AACC’s program Executive for the Salama Hub project.  

The Role of Universities in Supporting Young People to Become Effective Peace Builders: The Experience of Hawassa University in Ethiopia

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by  Fikrewold Yeneneh from Ukfiet, the Education and Development Forum

Before the political change in Ethiopia in 2018, when political upheavals and recurring conflicts intensified throughout the country, a number of public universities in the country were exposed to violent clashes. These clashes resulted in the loss of life and the destruction of property, and the teaching, learning and research functions of many public universities in the country have been repeatedly disrupted. In addition, these clashes have weakened the social bonds among students and have made our universities more vulnerable to conflicts, evident in the increased frequency of violent incidences that are occurring in universities across the country. This security threat is so serious that the federal government decided that all public universities should be guarded by the federal police and the army. Accordingly, the federal police have now been stationed in all public universities.


Hawassa University, where I am an Assistant Professor in the School of Governance and Development Studies, is one of these public universities. It is situated in Southern Ethiopia in Sidama National Regional State and has an enrolment of about 40,000 students. Before 2019, Hawassa University was under the administrative region known as the South Nations and Nationalities Regional State, but following years of conflict and active campaigning for regional statehood, in which young people played a significant role, this region has been divided into four separate regions along ethnic lines, following different groups’ quest for self-administration.

In view of the prevailing conflict environment in public universities, intervening in peacebuilding has become a practical imperative for our university. In addition to helping stem conflicts with police involvement, we believe that universities, through their teaching, research and community service mandates, can make an important contribution to conflict resolution and the improvement of the conflict situations on their campus by helping their students to become effective peacemakers.

In this respect, Hawassa University, in collaboration with international organisations (including the EU and the British Council in our Enabling University Peace Education project, and activities supported by USAID), has focused on three main interventions that enhance the capacity of the students and enable them to take up an active role in peacebuilding activities, within the university as well as in their respective communities. It is these practical steps taken by our university to promote peace in difficult conflict-affected circumstances that I focus on in this article.

1. Strengthening the peacebuilding role of student clubs

To rebuild the social bonds among students and facilitate a constructive dialogue for peace, we have strengthened and empowered our student clubs. The five main student clubs at our university (two of which are women’s clubs) have been given more resources for their activities and their student leaders provided with leadership training.

We also supported the clubs to host events on the theme of peace values within the university, including dialogues and debates on the role of youth in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, in which over 1,000 students have participated to date. Through these events, we have enabled the student clubs to provide institution-wide platforms for mainstreaming a culture of peace in students’ social lives. The positive impact this has had is evident in the students’ increasing participation and their eagerness to host even more of these events. Moreover, we have observed a growing commitment among our students to support others who are adversely affected by violent conflicts. For instance, one of the clubs hosted an event to welcome displaced students from the universities in the Tigray region, which have been devasted by conflict, with the aim of demonstrating their compassion and empathy.

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Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

University campus peace centers, What is happening on your campus?

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2. Providing peace education courses

To enhance the capacity of the students’ peacebuilding role, we have provided training to nearly 350 students on conflict management, conflict resolution and peace values, particularly aimed at club leaders and those who are active in student affairs. Half of the trainees are female students. The training has spurred the students on to increased civic activism on issues pertaining to peacebuilding. Notably, under their own initiative, they established a peace club, which is the first of its kind in the University.

3. Communicating a culture of peace

To integrate a culture of peace within the social fabric of our diverse study body, a billboard that reflects the value of peace has been mounted at each of the four different campuses of Hawassa University. In addition, brochures that promote democratic and peace values have been distributed to 4,000 students. As a more permanent and visible reminder of the ideation of peace and peace values among students, and to provide a space where students can meet in groups to discuss and enforce positivity and peace, we established a peace park on the main campus of Hawassa University.

Hawassa University’s peacebuilding initiatives and the results achieved so far are showing us that we can facilitate students to become better agents of peace through establishing, in collaboration with them, the spaces to discuss and debate peace, by providing good quality capacity-building interventions that enhance their conflict analysis, conflict management and critical thinking skills, and by mainstreaming a visible culture of peace in our institution. However, this does not mean that the activities that we have conducted thus far are alone sufficient to enable students to be as effective as peace agents as they could be. Looking to the future, we believe we could do more:

Firstly, our capacity-building interventions have to encompass many more students. To date, the peace education courses have reached less than 1,000 students, that is one 40th of the university’s 40,000 students.

Secondly, we need to facilitate activities that link the students and communities in future interventions. Thus far, students’ peace initiatives have not extended beyond the walls of the university campus, constraining their peacebuilding impact and visibility as peace agents within wider society.

Thirdly, to enhance the effectiveness of students’ peacebuilding role, the university should extend its future capacity-building interventions to within the local communities in which students undertake their peacebuilding activities. To this end, the university should conduct more peace research to understand in more depth their local contexts. Our Enabling University Peace Education Project is supporting these three ambitions by enabling us to develop and offer peace education training to many more students of all disciplines, form local community partnerships for peace and by funding eight new context-relevant research projects.

We suggest that our experiences at Hawassa University can contribute to the learning about how universities in conflict-affected settings can play a positive role in peacebuilding. We would welcome further contact with other universities that are interested in sharing and exchanging learning and knowledge of peace education journeys and our efforts to make a difference in the peacebuilding processes in our societies.

This article was supported by ‘Enabling University Peace Education’, a three-year project funded by the EU and British Council with the aim of improving the participation of young people, particularly women, in peacebuilding activities in Sudan and Ethiopia. It is one of a series of articles ‘Telling our story’ which share the experiences and learning of our partner universities with a focus on one or more of the project’s main thematic areas. Through these articles, we hope to highlight to the wider higher education sector, communities and policymakers the important role that universities can play in peace education, and to encourage more universities to enable young people in and outside their institutions to participate in peacebuilding. You can learn more about the EUPE project here.

African Union Calls for a 4th Edition of the Luanda Biennale Forum for the Culture of Peace

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An excerpt from tha African Union Assembly published on horseedmedia

ASSEMBLY OF THE AFRICAN UNION Thirty-Seventh Ordinary Session 17 – 18 February 2024 Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA

DRAFT DECISION ON THE REPORT ON THE THIRD (3RD) EDITION OF THE PANARICAN FORUM FOR THE CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE – “LUANDA BIENNALE”

The Assembly,

1. COMMENDS the Government of the Republic of Angola, the African Union and UNESCO for the excellent organization of the 3rd Edition of the Pan-African Forum on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence “Luanda Biennial”, held in Luanda from 22 to 24 November 2023.

2. ACKNOWLEDGES the connection between the theme “Education, Culture of Peace and African Citizenship as a Tools for the Sustainable Development of the African Continent” of the 3rd Edition of the Pan-African Forum on Culture of Peace and Non-Violence “Luanda Biennial” and the African Union´s theme for the year 2024 “Educating an adequate African for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems to increase access to inclusive, lifelong, quality and relevant learning in Africa.

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Question related to this article:

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa?

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3. GUIDES the African Union Commission and UNESCO in preparing and disseminating activities and programs inherent in the Roadmap of the theme of the 3rd Edition of the Pan-African Forum on Culture of Peace and Non-Violence “Luanda Biennial” during the year 2024

4. REQUESTS the Member States and the Regional Economic Communities, within the framework of the implementation of the roadmap of the theme of the year 2024, to include activities related to theme of the 3rd Edition of the Pan-African Forum on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence “Luanda Biennial”

5. CONSIDERS the crucial role played by the Pan-African Forum on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence “Luanda Biennial” in the process of continental pacification and stability and ENCOURAGES the Government of the Republic of Angola, together with the African Union and UNESCO, to organize the 4th Edition of the Pan-African Forum on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence “Luanda Biennial”.

6. CALLS FOR the active participation of Member States and Regional Economic Communities in the 4th Edition of the Pan-African Forum on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence “Luanda Biennial”.

7. FURTHER DIRECTS that future editions of the Pan-African Forum on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence be henceforth held during the month of October.

The Biennale of Luanda 2023 – Through eyes of its young participants

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The transcript of the UNESCO Youtube video

(Editor’s note: The 2023 Biennale of Luanda included 790 participants from all of Africa including some young people since the Biennale “advocated the establishment of partnerships between political leaders and young people, in sustainable social and economic projects, which could benefit society as a whole.” In addition to those listed below, three youth were invited from Togo. The previous Biennale in 2021 included 118 young people from 49 African countries and 14 countries of the Diaspora.)

Hello, my name is Mpule. I am from Botswana and I was selected together with eleven other young people from across Africa to participate in the third edition of the Biennale of Luanda. Every two years since 2019. the Biennale brings together heads of state, international organizations, the private sector, artists, academics and young people to boost dialogue and foster collective actions for peace in Africa. The event lasted three days with many discussions between youth and political leaders, thematic forums as well as cultural festivities.

Palmira Cassova from Angola: This third edition of the Biennale of Luanda is of great importance for us, young people, because it was a learning moment and a moment to share experiences with young people from other countries such as Egypt, Botswana, Ghana, Mozambique, We believe that we will remember this for life and we will be able to contribute with what we learned here to peace in Angola and Africa.

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(click here for the French version of this article. or here for the Portuguese version )

Question related to this article:

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa?

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60% of Africans are under 25 and the Biennale placed young Africans at the heart of the discussions. We engaged in dialogue with heads of states and focused on the vital role young Africans play in education, culture, climate change and many more.

Genila Hiel from Tanzania: The Biennale of Luanda 2023 is a very important platform for me because it gave me a chance to have intergenerational dialogue with very good African leaders to be on the same table expressing my ideas on behalf of my fellow youngsters from Africa in general. But the Biennale is above all a great opportunity for us to build networks and strengthen our knowledge for our work back home.

Hello, my name is Hakim, I am 30 years old. I am Algerian. I am also one of the young people selected for the Biennale. I am honoured to be able to develop solutions with our heads of state for African youth. In my opinion, entrepreneurship is key to reducing inequalities and fostering a culture of peace on the continent. We discussed during the Biennale, inclusive growth as a lever for peace, I strongly believe in it because the sustainability of family businesses and support for entrepreneurship can highlight the potential of our youth so that everyone finds their place in our societies. We also discussed the key role of education and higher education. I am the first of eight children to go to university. I became aware of the importance of getting involved in issues like equal opportunities, education and social justice. Education plays a crucial role in shaping free and well-informed African citizens.

Yasmein Abdelghany from Egypt: Education for peace is an education that provides learners with knowledge, skills and competences to be active agents of the change in their community. It aims to learn to teach them about tolerance, about acceptance, about diversity. Education for peace is very important because at the heart of our African aspirations is to build an integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa and this won’t be achieved without education, without teaching our future generations the values of peace and nonviolence.

Mpule from Botswana: I’ve always been actively engaged in promoting women’s empowerment. Today, my mission is to increase women’s participation in leadership and decision making processes. The Biennale highlighted the role of women in peace, security and development processes. On this occasion, we had the opportunity to stress the crucial link between women’s political participation and peace and security. Young people are crucial as catalysts for building a culture of peace. Our presence was felt and our voices were heard. The spirit of the Biennale of Luanda inspires a new generation of young Africans that paved the way towards a peaceful and prosperous Africa.

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