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An article from UNESCO (translated by CPNN)
The Gabonese Government, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and UNESCO, in cooperation with the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace, are organizing from November 30 to December 2, 2017, the Pan-African Youth Forum for the culture of peace and the fight against radicalization for the creation of an early warning system in Central Africa.
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The first Pan-African Forum “African Youth and the Challenge of Promoting a Culture of Peace” was held in Libreville (Gabon) from 11 to 13 December 2014, under the High Patronage of His Excellency Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Gabonese Republic, at the joint initiative of the Gabonese National Commission for UNESCO and the Omar Bongo Ondimba Foundation for Peace, Science, Culture and the Environment, with support and participation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the African Union (AU).
This forum, part of the implementation of the Action Plan for a Culture of Peace in Africa, adopted at the end of the Pan-African Forum “Sources and Resources for a Culture of Peace” (Luanda / Angola, March 2013) , has allowed the official launch of the Panafrican Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCOP), which Gabon hosts from the Headquarters.
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Question related to this article.
Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?
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The present project “Pan-African Youth Forum for the Culture of Peace and the Fight Against Radicalization for the Creation of an Early Warning System in Central Africa” is a continuation of this December 2014 forum , one of whose recommendations invited the Panafrican Youth Network for the Culture of Peace to meet every two years, in a general assembly, in Libreville (Gabon).
This activity was planned to be carried out in 2016, under the UNESCO Participation Program, under the theme: “The ideological and religious radicalization of young people: a challenge to the culture of peace”, because of the the importance of this issue for peace and security, especially on the African continent.
Boko Haram’s religious radicalism is spreading to the Central African subregion, particularly through the Lake Chad region and the far north of Cameroon. Due to the porosity of borders, the radicalism of young people could, moreover, thrive on the soil of many unsolved political crises, socio-economic difficulties and the frustration born of unemployment, human rights violations, in short, the inadequacy of governance. Moreover, in the context of increased access to information technologies and the massive use of the Internet and social networks, Central Africa is obviously not immune to the radicalization of young people.
This forum, which contributes to the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2249 calling for the active fight against terrorism and violent extremism, is also an extension of the subregional workshop on terrorism. enhanced cooperation between the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and civil society in early warning and conflict prevention in Central Africa, organized by the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa ( UNOCA) and ECCAS, from November 30 to December 2, 2017, in Libreville (Gabon).