Ethiopian Informer
By: Elias Gebreselassie
ADDIS ABABA: February 25 (EI) — A network of African youth has issued innovative mechanisms to promote peacebuilding by encouraging non-violent ways of resolving disputes.
Spread out across the continent, the groupis driving an initiative known as “Africa Peace Zones,” to promote the concept of “peace spaces,” where negotiations, mediation and reconciliation are used as an alternative to violent conflicts.
The creation of Africa Peace Zones stems from the realization that some of Africa’s strongest attributes – resilience, tolerance, kindness, generosity, problem solving and team spirit– have taken a backburner, paving way for mistrust, suspicion and animosity. As agents of change, young people, whose future relies heavily on a peaceful and stable continent are rallying like-minded youth, communities, local governments and businesses to join in efforts to encourage African citizens to take constructive action against violent conflicts.
“We are 400 million young people on the continent of Africa and we can create peace. But we can do so much faster, with the support of others, especially the private sector,” Gorata Chepete, a youth volunteer from Botswana.
“We are calling upon all businesses to join the ‘Africa Peace Zones’ movement by turning their offices, factories, mine sites, and outlets into Peace Zones – initiating dialogue, building capacity, raising awareness and helping us address the burning issue of youth unemployment,” Gorata added.
These efforts also echoed the African Union’s (AU’s) dream for a peaceful and stable continent, where guns are silenced and communities live harmoniously with each other. The AU theme for the year 2020 is “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conductive Conditions for Africa’s development”, a befitting theme for a continent currently experiencing a recurrence of violent conflicts, leading to loss of lives and destruction of livelihoods and property.
Africa Peace Zones also aims to serve as an intergenerational platform where young people and other African citizens can discourse on the root causes of conflict and commit to change.
“It is the first time that a grassroots youth movement has been formed to support an AU campaign. It is evidence of the growing power of Africa’s youth, strengthened by improved connectivity and inspired by examples of civic activism from across the continent and internationally,” stated Desire Karakire, one of the campaign coordinators from Uganda.
The youth peace advocates driving this campaign which kicked-off in January with an online memorial to honor victims of violent conflicts, hope to run the campaign for the entire year, with the ambitious aim of mobilizing at least every fourth youth on the continent and galvanizing support from other stakeholders.
(Photo – africapractice.com)
