Greetings of peace and blessing from URI-Africa.
This is to inform you that URI Africa is participating at the launching of the African Initiative on Education for Peace and Development Through Inter-Religious and Inter-Cultural Dialogue. The launch is to be held in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, from May 28 to 29, 2015.
The initiative was inspired by the preamble to the Constitution of UNESCO, which declares that: "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." This international symposium is initiated by the Government of Benin and endorsed by African Heads of States, the United Nations and UNSECO.
URI-Africa is sponsored to participate in this important initiative by the African Union Commission.
The objectives of the initiative:
- To contribute towards the promotion of durable peace in Africa, primarily through interreligious and intercultural dialogue, with Benin being the focal point country.
- To build relationships of trust between followers of different religions for better understanding.
- To promote exchanges of life experiences among followers of different religions.
- To promote and undertake joint actions between followers of various religions.
- To sensitize the youths of Africa on issues and challenges pertaining to "living together" through interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
- To promote mechanisms and preventive security measures involving public forces and citizens' social watchdog groups.
- To advocate for strengthening of the “interreligious and intercultural dialogue” component in peacekeeping operations led by the United Nations and other international and regional institutions.
Expected Output:
It is expected that at the end of the symposium a communiqué will be issued clearly highlighting and reflecting the recommendations from the event. It is also envisaged that a Secretariat for this symposium will be established in Republic of Benin after this event, with the mandate of promoting and coordinating the organization of this biennial event, which will be held once every two years.
Participants:
The symposium shall bring together two hundred (200) participants, of which fifty will be (50) foreign participants. These participants shall be selected from diverse cultural backgrounds, according to their religions, their experiences and their devout commitment to peace. Every participant shall make an input for the furtherance of peace in Africa. Such contributions shall feature in a select panel of discussions held in a plenary session where everyone can express their views.
May Peace Prevail on Earth
In peace and gratitude,
Ambassador Mussie Hailu
Regional Director of URI Africa & Representative of URI to African Union, Economic Commission for Africa and UN Office at Nairobi
