Participants at the ongoing Global Peace Leadership Conference that kicked off
on the 25th of June 2024, today offered prayers for Kenya following the rejected finance bill protests.
In place of the opening ceremony that was canceled in respect of the ongoing protests around the Finance Bill, participants led by Rev. Fr. Canice Chinyeaka Enyiaka Ph.D, the Regional Representative for Africa, Global Peace Foundation, wished for a quick resolution to the issues as raised by the protesters.
“We are one family under God, so we have gathered to pray for this nation. If we do not we will fail in our responsibility as humans who share this same walk as Africans. We ask the nation of Kenya not to be afraid. We know that Peace will prevail because God has the power to restore peace”, said Fr. Canice.
The GPLC Africa 2024, organized by the Global Peace Foundation in partnership with the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya among other partners aimed to promote peace, development, and cooperation across the continent. Over the three days of the conference participants will focus on emphasizing Africa’s unique heritage, spirituality, and traditional values in the push for a renewal of African approaches to peace and sustainable development.
Following the prayers, the event proceeded with discussions in various breakout sessions that included the family track themed Familial Relationships, Roles and Leadership, Community-Driven Peace building Track: themed Local Leadership with Moral Authority; A Catalyst of African Renaissance.
Speaking during the Community Driven Peace Building Track, Rev. Dr. Sam Kobia, Chairman of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission stressed the need for Africa to come together in one voice when speaking to key issues affecting the continent such as a largely disenfranchised public with poor leadership, poverty and lack of development.
“The basic ethos of Ubuntu is I am because you are. This therefore means that if you are not at peace with yourself, with your neighbor, with God, and with the environment then we should admit that something is fundamentally missing. Ubuntu is both an important philosophy and process for us to achieve peace in Africa,” said Kobia.
The GPLC Africa 2024 brings together renowned leaders, scholars, and activists dedicated to fostering global peace and cooperation. The GPLC Africa 2024 is expected to issue the Africa Renaissance Nairobi Declaration on 27th June, after the conference themed; One Family Under God: Empowering African Renaissance as a Global Catalyst For Freedom, Peace and Sustainable Development.
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