Amahoro Amani project comes to an end in Burundi
17 August 2007
More than 550 young people from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and other African and European countries participated in the International Peace Gathering in Gitega, Burundi, from 30 July to 4 August. The event marked the official closure of the two-year Amahoro Amani project, set up to promote peace in the Great Lakes Region. The participants from 11 countries -Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium and Finland - met on the Bungere hill (which means ‘the Shepherd’ in Kirundi, language of Burundi), in the hearth of Burundi.
The objective of the event was to evaluate and celebrate the community mediators’ initiatives and share their results with all the participants.
Other activities
The young people also attended a variety of workshops at the Global Development Village, listened and shared real experiences during the Market for Peace Practices and discovered other countries and associations at the Crossroad of Cultures. On 1 August, the young participants also celebrated the Scouting centenary on the Nyabiraba hill.
Peace Caravans
During the month of July, community mediators took part in the Peace Caravans across the Great Lakes, transmitting messages of peace to local communities and war victims. The first one began on 4 July in the South Kivu Province, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
More than 250 community mediators from Congo, Burundi and Rwanda walked a distance of about 60 km in six days, passing through Irambo, Lwiro, Mulungu, Mudata, Bagira. The destination was Bukavu, the province’s county town, where they arrived on 9 July.
More than 250 community mediators from Congo, Burundi and Rwanda walked a distance of about 60 km in six days, passing through Irambo, Lwiro, Mulungu, Mudata, Bagira. The destination was Bukavu, the province’s county town, where they arrived on 9 July.The Caravans continued with 750 other youth from the Amahoro Amani Project, through North Kivu (13 to 19 July), Rwanda (18 to 24 July) and Burundi (23 to 28 July).
The project
The Amahoro Amani project was set up to engage several thousand young people in combating ethnic prejudice and to inspire them to make a real contribution to social change in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. It has involved seven Guide and Scout Associations in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
All the activities and the experiences lived in the last two years have strengthened the community mediators. They are now strong enough to engage themselves in their local communities, with the support of their National Guide and Scout Associations
Guides and Scouts have been carrying out many practical activities including setting up peace and reconciliation clubs for young people from different ethnic backgrounds and organizing peace and reconciliation days. The project has been supported by WAGGGS and WOSM.
The project team is now evaluating the initiative and would like to engage each Association in integrating the Amahoro Amani’s actions in its regular educational programme, support the national network of mediators and Peace Clubs and widen the project’s scope.
Your comments
steven 21 January 2008 - 8.47AM (GMT)
I M RWANDAN SCOUT I WISH SO THAT THIS PROJECT PROGRESS EVER.THANKS
Amos 30 July 2007 - 12.30PM (GMT)
This is one of the greatest initiatives and felicitations to all that were involved, keep up the good work and thanks for making a difference in the lifes of young people.
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