Students of Hope Africa University and the Lake Tanganyika University of Bujumbura organized a peace workshop, Youth and Active Peace in Great Lakes Region, in Bujumbura, Burundi, from 21 to 22 September. Students from 20 universities in Burundi, Rwanda and Congo took part.
Patrick Hajayandi, “The purpose of the workshop was to provide an opportunity to young people think about the contribution they can make to promote peace in the great lakes region….”
“By constructive actions, the youth is able to transform things. I have the confidence and conviction that the political crisis prevailing in our region will end by the action of the youth,” says Emelyne, a student at Hope of Africa University who took part in the training.
The purpose of the workshop was to provide an opportunity to young people think about the contribution they can make to promote peace in the great lakes region, said Patrick Hajayandi, the manager of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation in the Great Lakes Region project.
“The main objective is to create a platform to enable young people to reflect on their role as members of society shaken by multi-dimensional crisis in order to contribute to stabilizing the region,” Hajayandi said.
He believes that this youth, which represents over 60 % of the population, is a key element in the stabilization of the region, now and in the future.
He regrets that the youth played a very negative role in the past. They were used in violence by politicians and other people who were seeking their own interest and were recruited in armed groups. “It is now time to encourage young people to play a very positive role in the promotion of peace and conflict resolution,” he said. “Instead of being destabilizing agents, we want them to be transformed into messengers of peace in their respective country and throughout the region in general.”
When Burundi, Rwanda and DRC face security problems, young people are manipulated to get involved in acts of violence, he believes. “So if we take steps to stem the involvement of youth in acts of violence, we can reduce the violence size,” Hajayandi said.
Ebilga Fikiri, a participant from DRC, wants raise awareness among young people to stand up for peace in the DRC, and also in the Great Lakes region. She hopes to achieve this by organizing workshops or conferences for young peace activists. She promised to share with other young people the outcomes of the conferences she attends. Enoque Tuyishime, a Rwandan student, shared the same opinion. “We will contribute to the restoration of peace and reconciliation. We who have the chance to participate in this workshop will share with others what we have learned,” he said.
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