Gbowee Peace Foundation holds youth camp
Volunteers at a one-day work shop
Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa (GPFA) on Wednesday commenced it’s 2nd its Annual Youth Camp under the theme: Peace Through Fair -Play (PTFP in Monrovia, the Liberian capital.
Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee, director and lead facilitator of the camp, said the four-day event will provide a sensitization framework to increase awareness among young people on their roles and responsibilities in promoting respect for person, and law and order as a basis for responsible citizenship and peaceful social interactions.She noted that during the event the kids will visit the three branches of government: the legislature, judiciary and executive. They will also interact with officials.
Gbowee added that over 40 kids between the ages 10—16 from various Liberian communities are expected to form part of the camp.
Other events include a career day, learning about peacemaking from real-life activists and a farm excursion to learn about farming, Liberian culture and traditional values.
The Peace Through Fair Play Youth Camp is to promote the sharing knowledge on respect, integrity and accountability as a basis for fostering peace among youths in Liberia.
The core objectives, based robustly on the tenets of good sportsmanship, are to accomplish the following:
a) Provide a platform for youths from diverse backgrounds to interact with each other in promoting peace and reconciliation;
b) Increase youth understanding of the concepts of gender, peace, and reconciliation and increase their willingness to seek alternatives to violent settlement of disputes and;
c) Promote civic responsibility and rule of law through peer education and sports.
Meanwhile, a one day clinic for the Camp’s eight volunteers took place on Monday, July 13th, at the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa’s Head Office in Congo Town.
The clinic was intended to inform the volunteers about the basics rules of safeguarding the children on camp and following strict rules of the EBOLA prevention protocols during the camp.
Text & Photo: Peter N. Toby
