Dear Colleagues
Greetings of peace from URI-Africa.
This is to inform you that URI-Africa actively participated at Inter-religious Dialogue for Peace and Conflict prevention conference held in Bujumbura, Burundi from June 7 to 9, 2016.
Religious leaders, Inter-religious and faith based organizations from 10 African countries and 54 participants took part in the conference organized by American Friends Service Committee, EIRENE and Norwegian Church Aid.
The overall aim of the conference was to give an opportunity to African religious leaders to share view, experience and lessons learned about their role in conflict prevention and to empower religious communities and their leaders to build peaceful, just and harmonious societies in common action to prevent violence.
My remark and facilitation during the second day of the conference was focused on how to foster working partnership among policy makers, intergovernmental organizations, religious leaders, faith based and interfaith organizations in Africa to highlight on the paramount importance of Inter-religious and Inter-cultural dialogue and to underline on the role of African religious and traditional leaders to promote a culture of peace, mutual respect, reconciliation, unity in diversity, national cohesion, environmental protection, promoting human dignity, safeguarding of all form of life, building trust, harmony and understanding and to compliment the work of African Union in the process of making Africa peaceful, united and prosperous.
In my presentation I also highlight on the need of bringing the moral, ethical and spiritual dimension to the work of different guiding institutions in Africa at national, sub-regional and continental level.
Based on the recommendation made by URI-Africa, at the end of the three day very intensive meeting, experience sharing, deep reflection and open discussions the participants came up with Bujumbura Declaration on Inter-religious Dialogue for Peace and Conflict Prevention. They also adopted the following recommendation made by URI-Africa:
- To affirm the need of promoting inter and intra religious dialogue
- To affirm that peace is possible when we start to make peace within ourselves, our families and in our respective communities
- To call religious and traditional leaders to provide a powerful example in their common rejection of violence and incitements
- To deepen solidarity with one another and to broaden the space for common action and reflection among various faith communities and social movements on the critical issues of peace, social justice and constructive dialogue and the prevention of conflicting in Africa
- To condemn the manipulation, indoctrination and abuse that is manifested through terrorist acts and call on all, especially faith-based leaders, to play a leading role in protecting young people from the factors that make them vulnerable to these acts
- To stand for defense of values of respect for life and the dignity of human rights
- To celebrate International day of Peace on September 21 each year as collective action to promote a culture of peace
- To take concrete and collective practical action to bring positive change in Africa
- To address collectively the issue of climate change and to be the stewardship of environmental protection and to bring moral authority to safeguard wildlife and all creatures of the Almighty
- To prevent and combat violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations through joint action and partnership
- To call on media to contribute to avoid the wide dissemination of stereotypes and biased images, and to promote better understanding between different cultures and religions and to engaged media to promote and highlight interreligious and intercultural best practices in our respective countries
- To affirm on the need of promoting the teaching of the Golden Rule which says “Treat others the way you want to be treated” as it is a fundamental principle that addresses critical issues such as democracy, human rights, respect for each other, gender equality, social development, interfaith harmony, constructive dialogue among nations, conflict prevention, and building right human relationships
- To take a personal pledge for peace and non-violence
- To actively engage women and youth in interreligious and intercultural education project
- To call to the African Union on the need to intensify cooperation at national, sub-regional and continental levels to work in partnership with faith based, religious leaders and interfaith organizations for the promotion of a culture of peace, security and countering violent extremism
- To recognize and support the initiative of the Government of Benin on African Initiative on Peace education through inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue
- To respect cultural, ethnic, and religious and linguistic diversities
- To acknowledge and support the initiative of African Union on Interfaith Dialogue Forum in Africa and call for its implementation and support from all member states to this noble initiative
- To call upon all member states of African Union to introduce peace education as part of the school curriculum to promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among human beings in all their diversity of religion, belief, culture and language.
- To establish a formal working partnership and platform among African Union Commission, Religious Leaders, Faith based and interfaith organizations, AU-ECOSOCC (Economic. Social and Cultural Council of the African Union), Pan African Parliamentarian, University of Peace Africa program, RECSA (Regional Centre on Small Arms), African Development Bank, NGOs and Sub-regional organizations and all other relevant stake holders to enhance the work of interreligious and intercultural constructive dialogue in Africa as a prevention mechanism of conflict
- To take specific steps to address hate speech and to counter hate, bullying and discrimination and to encourage positive speech and respectful dialogue in our communities to enhance a culture of peace.
- To combat hatred, prejudice, intolerance and stereotyping on the basis of religion or culture as this represents a significant challenge to peaceful co-existence
- To work in partnership with the African Union Commission department of peace and security on the issue of peace, security and countering violent extremism
- To enhance working partnership with UNESCO in promoting a culture of peace and inter-religious constructive dialogue and cooperation in Africa
- To support the Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (2030)
URI-Africa took the initiative to send out the Bujumbura Declaration made by the participants of the conference to African Union and all other relevant sub-regional organizations in Africa.
May Peace Prevail on Earth
