| Posted: Mar. 04 2005,04:26 |
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
The
introduction of Peace Education Project (PEP) in the extra curricular
of all SOS Children's Villages, SOS Mother's training programmes and
SOS Schools within the SOS North/West Africa- The Gambia, Liberia,
Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau Guinea Conakry and Cabo Verde with the
appointment of peace coordinators in each of these countries, a
significant improvement has been recorded in peace consciousness with
about 7000 (both SOS students and out of school, and SOS mothers)
Children and youths being members of peace clubs/ youth for peace and
the mothers being Women in Peace building.
With our activities being
in tune with the Aims and Objectives of World Peace prayer Society/ GOI
Peace Foundation vision statement, Prayer/Message "May Peace Prevail on
Earth" becomes a household words throughout SOS North/West Africa, and
its effort towards the "Realization of the Culture of Peace in the
war-torn sub-region" facilitated by our participation in the
"Celebration of 100 Days of Peace" which put additional focus on the
International Day of Peace. As a result SOS Children's Villages and
schools are unique in the sense that all our children and youth,
mothers are peace focused and peace oriented and we are noted to be a
home of "peaceful and harmonious co-existence" this may explain why
during wartime the surrounding community takes refuge within its walls.
Secondly, the fact that, our youths both resettled and those still
within our facilities, despite all the wars in our sub-region such as
in Liberia and Sierra Leone or Guinea-Bissau for that matter, have
never been involved in any disorderly act to create violence, let alone
joining the militant groups and their horrible acts, can certainly be
attributed to that.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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We
are really in need of capacity building programmmes like specialized
training workshops and courses on global ANV Peace Building
methodologies for our coordinators and teachers and promotional
materials. Funding from local, regional or international sponsors, in
order to enhance the effective and timely dissemination of peace and
nonviolence through the implementation of our scheduled activities,
projects and programmes. We need to introduce a Peace Education in the
mainstream curriculum and require a Peace Center with in-house peace
library, mediation room etc.
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ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
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1. Participated in a one-day workshop entitled "Peace as a Bedrock of National development"- January 12,2002
2. Signed the Book of Condolence at the American Embassy on first Anniversary of
September 11, Bombings - September 11,2002.
3. Celebration of the World Peace day and the International Day of Peace- from 2002
till date.
4. Participation in weekly "Making Peace where I live (MAPWIL) meetings-
January-December 2002 till date.
5. Inauguration of the Peace Pal / Youth for Peace Club and Planting of Peace Pole
/ Tree in the fore court of the administrative block of SOS Hermann Gmeiner Technical Senior Secondary school- April 25, 2002
6. Celebration of Peace Feast involving peace songs, poems and poster presentations
Heightened by the cooking and sharing of "Ebeh" porridge in symbol of peace and
harmonious co-existence- December 2002
7. Reading of Peace Poems and songs / peace counseling during school assemblies.
8. Training of SOS mothers in Peace Building (On Going)
JANUARY 2003- DECEMBER2003
1. Participation in MAPWIL (Making Peace where I Live) meetings.
2. Planting ceremonies of Peace Poles and Peace Trees in other schools.
3.
Participation in symposium entitled "Share the Spirit of Peace" hosted
by the Rose Khali International Senior Secondary School Banjulinding in
Collaboration with the World Peace Prayer Society, The Gambia Chapter.
4.
Hosting of "De Buddy's" a sensational teenage musical group from the
Netherlands, whilst they were touring The Gambia in their global
campaign against violence, discrimination and injustice.
5.
Participation in the honouring and celebration of the "100 Days of
Peace" June 13 to September 21, 2003-through International as well as
traditional Gambia Peace education and peace building methods. This put
an additional focus on UN's International day of Peace, as advocated by
visionary Congressman Dennis. J. Kucinich.
6. Collaboration with the
School of Metaphysics (based in Montana, USA) by participating in the
Dedication of World's First peace Dome, and the synchronized reading of
the Universal Peace covenant.
7. Hosting of the Youth Ambassadors of
Peace (YAP), The Gambia in a symposium entitled "Peace and conflict
Resolution" during the celebration of the end of the year Peace Feast
in the Assembly. This ended with prayers in the Peace Garden with
participation from not only sister Peace Pal / Youth for Peace Club but
also students from other schools as well.
8. Participation in
symposium entitled "Making Peace and Non Violence Work in our Time"
hosted by the Saints (St Joseph and St Augustine) Peace pals/ Youth for
Peace Clubs in the St Joseph's Multi-purpose Assembly Hall in Banjul
City. This ended with a Peace Pole Planting / Peace Garden Dedication
ceremony in the fore court of the school's administrative Building.
9. Participated in the "Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide".
10.
Participated in a three day Capacity Building Training Workshop on
collaborative Peacebuilding for Civil Society Organization organized by
WANEP.
11. Participation in the International Essay Contests for young people for school Children on Peace issues.
ACTIVITIES: JANUARY 2004 - DECEMBER 2004
1. Participation in MAPWIL meetings
2. PEACE BUILDING FOR CIVIL SOCIETY (May-11-13/004)
3.
Participation on A Training of Trainers Workshop For Teachers in Active
NON-VIOLENCE AND PEACE EDUCATION (July 26-30-2004)
4.. Participation in five days Training of Trainers Workshop on Peace Education by
West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)- July 26-30.
5.Celebration of "30 Days of Peace in The Gambia"- August 22- September 21
6. "Training Peace Pals/Youth for Peace Facilitators in Proventive/ Preventive
Peacebuilding Workshop" in the assembly hall of SOS Hermann Gmeiner
Technical Senior Secondary School Bakoteh-September 13-17, 2004
7. "HIV/AIDS: a Threat to World Peace" training workshop in the Assembly Hall
At the SOS Hermann Gmeinmer Technical Senior Secondary School
October 4-6.
8. Planting of Peace flowers in the SOS Peace
Garden/Re-painting of the Peace-Pole
October 22.
9. End of the year Peace Feast/Peace Prayer-December 10.
10. Activities as may be directed by World Peace Prayer Society, WANEP and other
Organizations in Peacebuilding.
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ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
Peace Education should be incorporated into the curricula of schools worldwide from Kindergarten to senior secondary schools.
Poverty
is a major contributing factor to violence and wars; hence UN systems
should include Poverty alleviation in the topmost priority to its
functions.
HIV/AIDS Pandemic is a great threat to world peace and UN
systems should facilitate the cure by making sure that drugs are
provided in this line and circulated to the reach of common people who
are victims.
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PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
SOS
North /West Africa is Partnership with World Peace Prayer Society,
World Prayer Society / Goi Peace Foundation with headquarters in
Wassaic, New York, USA and Tokyo, Japan, respectively. WPPS/Goi Peace
Foundation has local chapters in all countries of the world.
At
the regional level, SOS KDI is a National Network Member of WANEP (West
African Network for Peace Building) The Gambia: hence, SOS-KDI is in
partnership with all WANEP National Network Members ( CBOs and CSOs in
The Gambia).
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PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
1.Inclusion of Peace Education in all SOS North/West Regional Schools
2. Building and Equipping a Peace Center.
3.Yearly Prayer for World Peace in the SOS Peace Garden
4. Yearly Celebration of Season for Non- Violence (Jan 30-April 4)
5.Participation in the National/International Conferences and Workshops on Peace Education/Peace Building;
6.Yearly Celebration of 100 days of Peace to mark the International day of Peace Celebration.(June 13-Sep21) United Nations
7.Yearly Celebration of the World Peace Day –(November 17)
8.Activities as may be directed by WANEP and the World Peace Prayer Society and other related peace Building Organizations
9.Planting
of Peace Poles and Peace trees in the SOS Children’s Villages
in the Countries that do not have one (Culture of Peace will grow in
the minds of our children as the peace tree grows and give branches)
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Postal address of organization
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SOS kinderdorf Internationa Regional Office North/West Africa
Hermann Gmeiner Drive
P.M.B 28 Banjul, The Gambia
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E-mail address of organization
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julieta.mendes@sos-ro.org
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Website address of organization
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www.sos-ro.org
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Education for a culture of peace
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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International peace and security
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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North/West African Region- The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau and Cabo Verde
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES, YOUTH VILLAGES, KINDERGARTENS, SCHOOLS, SOS STAFF
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