YAOUNDE YOUTH ENGAGE IN PEACE MESSAGING

https://sweetartfrika.blogspot.com/2017/10/yaounde-youth-engage-in-peace-messaging.html

All about the CARAVAN OF PEACE "NO TO TERROR"

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      The “No To Terror” caravan was launched in 2015 uses art as an innovative means in the fight against terrorism and violence in all its forms in Cameroon.

Thanks to this project, certain youths have become conscious of the major role they have to play in the fight against terrorism and violence in general: many have taken the engagement to promote peace and tolerance through one of the caravan’s major activity called “Say Something about Peace”.  In this activity, the visitor directly takes an engagement to promote peace by accepting to have his/her portrait made because afterwards they are expected to have to affirm this engagement in a phrase on their portraits. 

Considering the itinerant nature of the caravan, it often organizes an exchange with the youths of every locality that it visits. This exchange, usually under the theme “My Vulnerability, My Strength” aims at guiding youths in identifying instances in which they are vulnerable to violence and terrorism so as to encourage them to transform these vulnerabilities in to a potential strength against their challenges.

Furthermore the use of art as an innovative tool in the fight against terrorism in the country has motivated youths to use their talents at the service of the society. the “No to terror” caravan has greatly contributed in changing the mentality of the nation’s  authorities about the capacity of the civil society to contribute in the fight against extremism. As time went on, this has been materialized with the content of the speeches of government authorities during the caravan’s numerous exhibitions in Ngaoundere, Buea, Foumban, Bandjoun, Yaounde, … We have also benefited from the  invitation of the Minister of  Youths and Civic Education to exhibit during the International Youth Day, 2015. Some Governors have even expressed the desire of duplicating the illustrative roll-ups of the Caravan so as to continue the sensitization in their respective localities even in our absence. Civil society organizations operating in the domain of peace in Cameroon have often invited the “No to terror” caravan  to strategic events like the Cameroon Youth Forum , amongst others. The Caravan is mostly used in such events as an eradication and sensitization tool against violent extremism

Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the “No to terror” Caravan still has a long way to go in the fight against terrorism in Cameroon considering the fact that some parts of the country have not yet been exposed to this sensitization campaign.

The “No to Terror” caravan is an itinerant exhibition of illustrative drawings and slogans used for the sensitization of the general population so as to encourage tolerance and the construction of a sustainable peace in Cameroon and beyond. Looking at the present context of insecurity within the country and the world at large, the caravan can be considered as a tool in the fight against insecurity. It is thus in this light that the caravan seeks to;

• Sensitize youths on their role in the fight against terrorism and the construction of peace in the continent.

• Make Cameroonian and central African youths, ambassadors of peace in the continent.

• Sensitize African youths on the risks of their enrolment and their instrumentalization by armed groups.

The caravan is made up of three main spaces:

• Reception and Exchange: Discussion with the population of the host locality about their perception and vision about peace.

• Exhibition:  Here the public is led to visit the 20 illustrative messages of the caravan that are printed on roll-ups (2m x 0,85m). Each roll-up is made up a slogan, illustrative drawings, as well as poetic texts related to current issues.

• Expression Space: This is where visitors are guided by the artists of the caravan to draw, paint, and write their messages about the promotion of peace and tolerance.

The “No To Terror” caravan benefited from  the technical support of a local NGO called the World Dynamics of Young People (WDYP) and of the financial support of the Civil Service for Peace ( Brot fur die Welt) for the production of materials (e.g Roll-ups, Comic Strips, T-Shirts…). The caravan’s exhibitions at specific localities within the country are usually funded by the host; though it may happen that she takes care of her activities based on funds gotten from the sales of her gadgets like, T-Shirts, Comic Strips etc.

Since its creation in May 11 2015; the caravan has visited six of the ten regions of Cameroon. So far, the caravan has carried out 32 exhibitions, and about 10,000 youths have been reached  in Cameroon. Considering the fact that Cameroon is Africa in miniature, youths from different ethnic groups and religion have been exposed to this campaign thanks to the itinerant nature of the caravan which has been to extremely risky zones (the caravan exhibited in the Adamawa Region from July 17 to 21 2015 during the Cameroon Youth Forum , often organized by the Zenu Network; a local NGO). The concept is open to everyone, as female youths have shown much interest in the project.

One of the particuliarities of the caravan resides in her Free Style workshop which is made up of two main activities; “Say Something about Peace” and “Pimp the Little Boy for Change”. Through these fun activities, we ensure that visitors leave their impressions about the construction of a peaceful world. These impressions are collected, archived and used when necessary, as they are considered as elements that measure the impact of the caravan on the population.

In order to ensure the sustainability of the project, necessary modalities are being taken so that the roll-ups of the caravan are duplicated where need be, so that the sensitization may continue even in the absence of the caravan. ( For instance, the duplication of roll-ups are being negotiated for the Buea Council in the South West region and a local NGO in the West region, precisely in Foumban called AJP CEDES (Association des Jeunes pour la Promotion de la Culture, L’Education,, le Developpement Economique et Social). There equally exist three platforms on the internet dedicated to the “No to Terror” caravan. These platforms include; two Facebook pages where the creation of one is thanks to the caravan’s collaboration with the ISD (Institute of Strategic Dialogue). The third platform is the caravan’s blog. Also, materials like T-Shirts, comic strips, stickers and the roll-ups are produced with the aim of educating the population and to ensure the sustainability of the project.

• Since May 2015, we successfully braved the taboo on the public expression on radicalism, extremism and the enrolment of youths in armed groups in Cameroon through the “No To Terror” Caravan and other cartoon projects. Consequently, the Cameroonian minister of Youths and Civic Education officially invited the caravan to take part in the celebration of the International Youth Day, in august 2015. This year, during the International Youth Exhibition which took place from august 12-16 2016, the Minister of Youth and Civic Education suggested that the caravan integrates a national program on the civic education of youths. As a result of the Caravan’s participation at another event dubbed FESCARHY (International Festival of Caricature and  Humor of Yaounde ) Cedric Kenfack was the special guest of the 8:30 pm  news on CRTV (Cameroon Radio Television) 

• The innovative and fun nature of  “No To Terror” Caravan  has greatly seduced Cameroonian Youths as the project permits them  to freely express themselves on the construction of a peaceful society. Also, Cedric Kenfack the Leader of the team has greatly inspired youths from other parts of Africa working in the peace domain as they now seek for collaboration.  Some of these Youths are those he met being part of the first promotion of YALI-Dakar, Senegal (Young African Leaders Initiatives). It was in this light that Cedric Kenfack was last invited as a speaker at Djibouti to share his experience during the GCTF (Global Counterterrorism Forum) Horn of Africa Working Group Symposium on Youth and CVE (Counter Violent Extremism)

• The fight against terrorism in the world appears to be long and difficult. Acknowledging an artist like those of this Campaign will incite other artist to engage themselves in the promotion of society’s development and the construction of peace in the world.