At finals of competition to promote peace: Gov’t urges youth to be vectors of social cohesion in conflict zones.

This was during a ceremony to mark the final of a project designed to use arts and culture as tools for promoting peace and integration, specifically targeting internally displaced youth.

The event took place at the artistic hall of the National Museum in Yaounde. This initiative, led by the Cameroonian National Commission for UNESCO, is part of a broader project aimed at reinforcing the role of youth in fostering peaceful coexistence and multiculturalism through education and creative arts.

The artistic competition featured disciplines such as plastic arts, dance, music, and theatre. The focus has been laid on living together and integrating displaced youth into their host communities. 

These performances emphasised themes of peace, unity, and social cohesion, reflecting the daily challenges faced by the participants and their communities.

Enter officials 

Speaking to the press, the Director of the Culture sector at UNESCO, Dode Houehhounha, underscored the importance of the said project. 

“We are talking about a peace-building fund, two years project financed by the peace-building fund of the UN Secretary General and implemented by UNESCO and our sister agency, United Nations Office for Project Services, UNOPS. The main objective of this project is really to foster peace using the power of education, arts and culture,” Houhhounha said. 

In the same light, one of the jury members for the music category, Ateh Francis, explained the criteria used in judging the participants and their expectations.

“This is a project to push peace through music and through works of art. It is a project that was conceived by UNESCO to mark this year's International World Literacy Day. In addition, it involves young persons from displaced groups within the country, particularly the West and the Littoral regions,” Ateh said.

He added that: “This is the culmination of the event and we are hoping that we shall get some great talents from the works that will be presented to us today. It's a jury of four seasoned artists who are there to judge merit and you can be sure that the best will be selected”. 

Arts as a vehicle for social transformation

According to the organisers, over 160 youth were selected from schools, learning centres, and ministries such as the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family, and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education.

These young participants, organisers revealed, underwent intensive training on conflict identification, community-based problem-solving, and how to transform these solutions into creative outputs that can educate and raise awareness in their communities. 

Organisers also revealed that the project was rolled out across 10 locations in two regions known for hosting large populations of internally displaced youth.

In the Littoral Region, the competition was held in areas such as Edea, Mbanga, Dibombari, and Konsamba. Meanwhile, in the West Region, the project reached Bafoussam, Babadjou, Foumban, Foumbot and Bangou.

The Guardian Post learned that young artists who performed at the national finals were chosen for their exceptional ability to transform conflict-related experiences into artistic outputs that resonate with both displaced persons and host communities.

“The project has pledged support to help these youth continue their artistic journeys. For example, the best performers in plastic arts will receive specialised training at the Banjoun Station Art Centre, opening new avenues for their future,” organisers revealed. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3226 of Wednesday September 11, 2024