TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY . .

Sent to CPNN by Jerry Bibang

As part of the fight against the covid 19 pandemic, the New World Citizen Laboratory (LCNM), Yali Gabon and PAYNCoP Gabon platforms have joined forces to raise awareness among young people about the covid 19 pandemic using comic strips.

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The initiative supports government efforts since the start of the corona virus pandemic in our country. From the first cases of the disease, the highest authorities have declared war on this invisible enemy. Through this action, these three organizations want to make their modest contribution to this war.

The project consists in making young people aware of the myths surrounding Covid 19. “We started from an observation: several false ideas, relating to the treatment or prevention of covid 19, are conveyed by certain people” explained Dora from LCNM . “These people regularly use social networks (facebook and watsap) to disseminate their messages,” added Marcel Ebenezer.

Among these misconceptions that we call myths, there is, among others, the fact that corona does not exist in hot countries, the rainy season will wash the virus, the virus is also transmitted by mosquitoes, there is no real case in Gabon, the government is lying to us etc.
 
For Cédrick Kenfack of Yali Gabon, “the propagation of this false information constitutes an obstacle to the response against this pandemic. Reason why we thought it useful to fight against this false information by using the comic strip as a means of communication ”

In addition to the fight against fake news, the project also gives an important place to barrier gestures and useful advice to avoid the disease. A section entitled “Guide to good practice” is devoted to this effect. Each tip is illustrated with characters and explanatory texts.

“The idea was also to pool our skills and resources for a common goal in a collective intelligence approach. This is why the project brought together several organizations. Each contributed according to their resources. One wrote the texts, the other coordinated and the design was done by another, “said Jerry Bibang, PAYNCoP Gabon Coordinator.

(click here for the original version in French)

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

Sent to CPNN by Jerry Bibang

As part of the fight against COVID 19, the Youth Association for Development (JED), member of PAYNCoP Gabon, and the NGO Engineers Without Borders (ISF) yesterday, Wednesday, April 1, served the populations of the district behind the Ecole Normale Supérieure, in the 1st arrondissement of the commune of Libreville, with a station for hand-washing.

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The initiative is part of a project which consists of setting up handwashing stations in the under-integrated districts of Libreville and its surroundings, especially those experiencing difficulties in supplying drinking water. “The situation is more complex in these districts because access to drinking water is a real challenge for people, and sometimes they live together in small rooms, so it is difficult to respect the 1 meter distance. This is why we have targeted these areas,” said Darel Oliny, Executive Director of Engineers Without Borders in Gabon.

For Jerry Bibang, the National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon, this is an action that supports the efforts of the Government in the fight against the pandemic which is currently ravaging. “The public authorities started the war against COVID 19, as citizens and patriots, it is up to us to stand up and go to the front against the common enemy” he added before inviting the residents to respect barrier gestures for better prevention.

After Behind the École Normale Supérieure, the Nzeng-Ayong district, in the 6th arrondissement of Libreville, will be the next step in this citizen initiative.

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from UNESCO

On Thursday, December 26, 2019 in Dakar, the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for West Africa-Sahel, through the Human and Social Sciences sector (SHS), organized a workshop to present the study “Young people and areas of freedom in Africa: Emerging expressions of young people to consolidate peace, democratization and achieve the SDGs”.

The main objective was to define and inform public policies for young people in order to make them more relevant, inclusive and equitable. Under the chairmanship of Ms. Néné Fatoumata Sall, Minister of Youth, the workshop brought together more than forty participants, including members of the study’s scientific council, representatives of COMNat Senegal in charge of logistics coordination of the study, representatives of youth organizations, representatives of civil society, researchers and academics from The Gambia and Senegal, key partners of the Banjul Forum, members of the Multidisciplinary Research Team and the UNESCO Office staff in Dakar.

“This study constitutes a platform for exchange, consolidation & appropriation, the aim of which is to mobilize the knowledge of young people to inform public policies and accelerate social transformations in Africa,” said Ms. Néné Fatoumata Tall, Minister of Youth, employment and citizen building in Senegal.

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

Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?

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During his introductory remarks, Dr Maréma Touré Thiam, Head of the Human and Social Sciences section of the UNESCO Office in Dakar, recalled that “for UNESCO, young people are essential actors in finding solutions to challenges, they are the solution to Africa’s development. They have always played a major role in the democratization and pacification of societies ”. Thus, this study, carried out by a team of 9 researchers (with 7 different profiles and coming from 5 countries covered by the Office), in collaboration with the Bamako Office and the Culture program of BReDa, made it possible to analyze the trends in several African countries (particularly West Africa) regarding the “emerging” expressions, creativity and capacity for innovation of African youth in terms of civic and civic engagement. The workshop was an opportunity to discuss the efforts necessary to support young people and help them work together to encourage innovation and social change, the development of their societies, fight against poverty and inequality, and foster a culture of peace.

The discussions and exchanges during the workshop made it possible to validate the results with all the participants and stakeholders, but also to underline the importance for UNESCO of supporting young people and researchers for reflections on the innovative forms of expression for young people, in order to consolidate peace, democracy and development in Africa.

“Young people have a preponderant role to play in the progress of societies because they represent the lever by which the Nations will have to rely to aspire to development” Mrs., Néné Fatoumata Tall, Minister of Youth, Employment and citizen building of Senegal

It was recommended to continue and develop scientific research on young people and to deepen it in order to make available to the authorities and stakeholders a “consolidated document” to inform youth policies. The workshop ended with the reading of the declaration of the African Regional Youth Forum, held in Banjul in October 2019.
 

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article from Le Faso

The Minister of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Social Cohesion, Simeon Sawadogo, presided, on January 10, 2020, the ceremony for the end of training of imams, preachers and Koranic masters on human rights, the culture of peace, health and the environment. The trainees undertook to propagate the lessons received for a Burkina Faso of peace.

We must cultivate peace

During their internship, the imams, preachers and Koranic masters learned the need to cultivate peace and this goes through the behavior and the teachings which are given in Koranic schools and mosques. The lesson seems well understood by the trainees. The first module focused on education for a culture of peace. We have learned that you have to be tolerant, just, fair and cultivate inner peace in order to share it with family, neighborhood and city members, said Harouna Tao, Imam-preacher of Titao. In this regard, he has promised to teach and work now to promote peace around him and urged his fellow believers to do the same.

The second module focused on human rights and legal remedies. The trainers taught the learners the basics of human rights and the need to respect them for better living together. We now know the rights of the individual, of people. We have also learned, when your rights are violated, how to go to court to seek redress. We will encourage these attitudes in our mosques, our preachings in order to promote a good coexistence between Muslims and other religious communities added Imam Harouna Tao.

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

Islamic extremism, how should it be opposed?

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The last module, health and the environment in relation to sustainable development, was a framework for learners to understand the need to preserve nature for future generations. A teaching that has been well received by religious leaders and who promise to apply it. A healthy and supportive environment contributes to the health of the entire population, which prepares the future for future generations. Development in the new vision must take into account the future of the planet, of future generations. If we ask ourselves which child we leave on this earth and which earth we leave to our offspring, it is important that we work to preserve the environment, added Imam Tao.

Training was necessary

The 20 days of training were initiated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and carried out in partnership with the Burkinabè government and the Circle of Islamic Studies, Research and Training (CERFI). For Siméon Sawadogo, training was very necessary in view of the national context. He urged trainees to train imams, preachers and Quranic teachers who did not participate in the training.

The government has realized that we must work to combat violent extremism and radicalization. These are facts that we have seen in our society and that the government is working to eradicate. ECOWAS has been good enough to support the Burkinabè government and the sub-region in this struggle by training the first officials who are responsible for teaching others about religious precepts.

So these are imams, preachers who have been trained here at CERFI thanks to the support of ECOWAS and in their turn, they will go to train people in the medersas so that in their preaching in mosques and religious places, they can banish hate speech and they can work so that people learn how to live together and know the true precepts of religion ;, said Simeon Sawadogo.

The interns are now envoys of the Burkinabè government to their co-religionists in order to block the road to the violent extremism and radicalization that fuel terrorism in countries of the sub-region including Burkina.