A pledge to end all forms of violence and set in motion a grassroots civil society campaign to promote peace was launched today by a coalition of community activists, artists, victims of war, academics, business leaders, and African youths.
A spokesperson for the coalition and a peace campaigner, Emmanuel Jal, said, “We are losing the battle to end hostilities. Ours is a call to action. We have come together from different backgrounds and different nations to create a positive, global awakening, responding to the African Union’s call for pledges for peace.
“We need every African citizen galvanised to make peace a reality and to rid the continent of war and civil unrest. Peace is you.”
The centrepiece of the coalition’s appeal is a short animation endorsed by the African Union Commission called, ‘My Pledge for Peace,’ narrated by Nigerian actor, Folu Storms, Grammy-nominated singer, Niniola, South African musician, Zoë Modiga and Jal inviting all Africans to show their commitment to peace.
The launch coincided with the conclusion of the AU heads of state summit this weekend to review progress towards ‘Silencing the Guns by 2020: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.’
African heads of state at the 14th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly on ‘Silencing the Guns’ unanimously agreed to extend the initiative’s efforts to end hostilities for another 10 years, stressing the importance of involving grassroots organisations and Africans in tackling the root causes of conflict.
Storms said, “There are many complex and interdependent challenges to achieving peace, but every conflict resolution starts with a conversation. And today we are having that conversation and galvanising citizens to make a commitment to actualising the AU’s vision of a conflict-free continent.”
Niniola added, “The challenges confronting our continent today require us to work together. While our differences are what make us human, it’s only by working together that we can draw sufficient strength to heal what we have harmed and to mend what we have broken.”
AU Youth Ambassador for Peace, Karabo Mokgonyana, noted, “All it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing. It’s time for us to make our voices heard and to make our actions count. It’s time for us all to make a commitment to peace and dialogue, and to silence the guns.”
