A Non Governmental Organization have decried the lack of attention given to the promotion of Peace Leadership ,saying less than 70% of the countries of the world promote personal, community and global peace.
This findings was arrived at by Youths for Peace Building and Development in Africa- YOUPEDA recently.
As a result of this ugly situation, the Founder of YOUPEDA, Mr Obi Onyeigwe, a fellow of Euphrates Peace Institute,, in collaboration with another fellow, a Syrian/German- Dima Mahjoub in a joint project called “The Change Makers of NISA, and NISA Nigeria, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
Both Obi and Dima co-created and designed NISA project to train participants from four nationalities online for the period of six months.
The Peace Leadership training according to Obi and Dima are meant for both female and male participants, irrespective of Religion, gender, culture and region.
They said ” So far Nigeria has the highest number of participants, followed by Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan respectively.
” The purpose and objectives of the NISA programme which is supported by Euphrates Institute, U.S.A is to strengthen the capacity of 30 participants comprising community leaders, students, teachers in Nigeria, Iraq ,Syria and Afghanistan, to participate and lead practices in Peace leadership, to learn skills and increase knowledge of Personal peace practice and contextualize it among participants, to build collective intelligence and relationships that could foster peace as life skills and life action among the participants
According to them ,this will facilitate joint online peace and interfaith alliances in NISA for further research and lessons for community intercultural peace building and collaborations continuously among the participating countries.
NISA, is a combination of Peace Leaders from Nigeria, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
” We are staging a 6-month learning program on Peace Leadership. The NISA Program focuses on any individual interested in Peace leadership within any of these countries,
” young persons, female and male, students/practitioner of different disciplines. In addition, the program creates a stage for the communities to participate in most basic parts of the initiative intervention by actively getting involved to learn as the targeted groups and communities participants will be actively engaged in discussions and interactions, correct misconceptions and myths about peace and togetherness in non-violence way.
” To encourage personal reflection, awareness raising and community exploration, advocate for change, create co community social networks for change, mobilize the community to promote peace norms and change” They emphasizes.
The YOUPEDA Founder, Obi Onyeigwe, revealed that the organization is well versed in this global advocacy for peace collaboration and leadership adding that another group of Change Makers will come onboard after the present participants as resources are available.
In a separate response Dima noted that “Modeling stories- testimonies and success records, interacting learning, role play, group discussions and brainstorming sessions, and use of debate to challenge views and air relevant arguments will take part during all modules as this is what makes Peace leadership Practice unique.
She also expressed her happiness over the seasoned facilitators and experiential Peace Leaders that have so far trained the participants such as Jenny Canau from South Africa, whom Obi represented, Sylvia Murray form U.S.A, who took participants on second part of personal Peace Practice, James Offuh from Cote d’Ivoire, who took participants on Interpersonal Peace Practice and Non- Violence Communication, and with Wes Davidson from U.S.A, who highlighted listening and empathy in interpersonal/ non-violence communication.
There is inadequate peace leadership and connections within communities and people are worried and this is very volatile for violence and religious, ethnic, Christian and Muslim conflicts.
” Communities are divided and distrust each another all over the world. This as a result leads to leadership failure and community crisis, fights, destruction, killings and hatred.
” This causes our faith communities and entire global communities to be under siege on daily basis, create increased tensions between communities and different faith communities with accusations, counter accusations, violence, and mistrust when we need to build trust and have a free violence community. Therefore, this is our sacrifice and commitment, we are contributing to the world peace by promoting peace leadership through NISA trainings on the modules of Peace Practice Alliance (PPA), storytelling, and arts” She added.