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An article from UNESCO (translated by CPNN)
At the end of the second Panafrican Youth Forum for the Culture of Peace, hosted by Gabon, the hundred or so young participants committed themselves to be sentinels / weavers of peace in their respective countries, through the Libreville Declaration. The Declaration was read by Miss Julie Mutesi, National Coordinator of the Panafrican Youth Network for Peace Culture (PAYNCOP) in Rwanda.
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The 2017 edition of the Pan-African Youth Forum for the Culture of Peace, held in Angondjé from 30 November to 1 December, focused on “the fight against radicalization with a view to creating an early warning system in Africa.” It was organized by the Government of Gabon, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), with the support of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), in cooperation with the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCOP).
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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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During their two days of work, the young people exchanged their experiences and good practices in the prevention of radicalization through the involvement of youth movements. They also appropriated the subregional project, initiated by ECCAS, UNOCA and UNESCO with the support of the OIF, on “Capacity building of youth for management of associative movements, for creation of a system to prevent conflict and violence, and for the contribution as youth to early warning for peace and security in Central Africa” [referred to below as “the Subregional Peace Project].
Through the Declaration which completed the work of the forum, the young people called for an appropriation [of the Subregional Peace Project] by the 45th session of the ministerial meeting of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC) which will meet in Kigali (Rwanda), from 04 to 08 December 2017, and by the Summit of Heads of State and Government of ECCAS.
They also recommended the development, with the participation of youth and the support of UNOCA, UNESCO and OIF, by the General Secretariat of ECCAS of an Operational Strategy for Youth to promote its empowerment and its contribution to the development and integration of the Central African subregion.
For their part, they pledged to advocate the Governments of their respective countries to support the implementation of the Subregional Peace Project; to participate in its implementation in each of their respective countries, and to contribute to the development of the ECCAS Youth Operational Strategy.
In his closing address, Mr. Mathias Otounga Ossibadjouo, Gabonese Minister for Sports, Tourism and Leisure, welcomed the quality of the forum’s work, which was largely nourished by the young people themselves, and reiterated the commitment his country to support the implementation of the Subregional Peace Project.