YPBI News: YPBI forms international networking committee

QUOTATION

"I can do everything through him
who gives me strength."

Phil 4:13

YPBI NEWS

YPBI forms international networking committee

By Nichola Dominic Mandil

Sun. 20th Aug. 2006, Khartoum. The Youth Peace Building Initiative (YPBI) under the National Youth Programme of the Sudan Council of Churches (SCC together with delegates from Sweden, Germany and Uganda have formed an International Youth Networking Committee(IYNWC) to run-up-to-date activities of the youth in the aforementioned countries.

Formation of the Working Committee came as part of the recommendations of the First ever International Conference organized by Sudan YPBI which began on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 and closed sessions yesterday Saturday, August 19, 2006 at the National Youth Camping Residence in Soba.

Six youth representing four Nations were elected to the Committee as follows: Miss. Gladys Jambi, Mr. Malakal Dual (Sudan), Mr. Daniel Uddling, Mr. Henrik Hanson (Sweden), Mr. Ikawa Robert (Uganda) and Ms. Hilke Thesinga (Germany). The members of the Committee had their First Working Group meeting at the end of the Conference yesterday at the National Youth Camping Residence in Soba.

In an interview yesterday at the end of the conference, Miss. Gladys told the press that this has been the first International Conference organized by the Sudan YPBI since its inception in 1999 following the formation of Khartoum Forum and the sub-coordination offices in the regions.

Gladys said Sudan had undergone two decades of turmoil as a result of the bloody civil strife damaged human and natural resources, dilapidated infrastructures, retarded development in all aspects, economically, culturally and socially according to her statements. She said the need for quest for peace was palpable that gave birth to the YPBI.

She further said, “there was need to solicit international support that was why Sudan YPBI invited its partners who support the youth work for peace to be part of this first International function”. Gladys also revealed that YPBI has trained youth from various categories, Church youth, community youth and youth from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps on the outskirts of Khartoum to sensitize them on the culture of peace.

Mr. Daniel Uddling, Coordinator of the Ecumenical Programme for a Culture of Peace under Christian Council of Sweden hailed the efforts of Sudan YPBI in organizing this First International Conference, and said the longing for peace is something that all nations share, Sudan, Uganda, Sweden, Germany as well as many nations in the world.

Daniel said the initiative to hold the YPBI International Conference was co-shared by the Church of Sweden, where four young people from Sudan (members of Sudan YPBI) visited Sweden in 2005 and together with the Christian Council of Sweden planed for this conference and expressed gratitude to the YPBI for having successfully organized this big event.

The head of Swedish delegation on behalf of his team said they will follow the call of The State Minister in the Ministry of International Co-operation in the Government of National Unity Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin who exhorted them to urge their leaders honor their pledges as regarding the Multi-Donor-Trust-Fund, and said they will speak on behalf of their counterparts in Sudan.

Ugandan delegate, Mr. Ikawa Robert said the issue of the Ugandan rebels of the Lord resistance Army (LRA) is one of the issues that the YPBI Working Committee will discuss jointly with its International Partners in Sweden, Germany and their neighbor Sudan.

Robert lamented the havoc being marauded by the LRA in northern Uganda and Southern Sudan, he said Youth from Sudan, Germany and Sweden need to appeal for international support to end LRA’s atrocities.

Ms. Hilke Thesinga from Germany said the committee will focus on Culture of peace and non-violence, and make sure that Sudanese quest for peace is supported by the International community; she said they will carry the message to their youngsters in Germany.

In a related development, the Provost of Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) Khartoum, Rev. Sylvester Kambaya, who opened the First YPBI International Conference on Wednesday, exhorted the youth to be actively involved in peace mission, and said, “Youth have the obligation to build peace, to take the initiative to build peace”.

Rev. Kambaya lamented the situations in which governments is some countries in the world that brain wash the young people and use them as agents of destructions, and said, in northern Sudan, many young people have been brainwashed and confused.

The Dean of All Saints Anglican Cathedral in Khartoum described the YPBI International Conference as “privileged opportunity” of coming together and learning together from one another, Africa and Europe.

He advised the youth in their work for peace to target all levels of the society (educated and uneducated alike). Rev. Kambaya described Sudan as a country that lives in hatred, country that its people are divided and work against each another.

The Conference was facilitated by experts from International Community as well as members of Sudan YPBI. All the countries that attended shared their countries experiences in the areas of peace building, conflict management/resolution and non-violence as a way to resolve conflicts.