As this year\u2019s Global Peace Leadership Conference drew to a close, young people took center stage as major drivers of the African Renaissance with participants calling for increased investment in youth led collaboration initiatives and activities in the continent.<\/p>\n

The conference, which happened on the backdrop of a youth led countrywide protest against new proposed tax laws in Kenya, commenced on June 25, 2024, at the Konza Technopolis in Machakos County with a commitment by participants to environment conservation as an important tool for ensuring peace and social cohesion.<\/p>\n

Led by Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, Chairman and Founder of the Global Peace Foundation and Priti Chandaria, Trutee Chandaria Foundation among other partners, over 1000 participants including primary and secondary school children planted 30,000 trees in support of the greening Konza initiative.<\/p>\n

Conference organizers cancelled the official opening ceremony initially scheduled for Wednesday June 26, 2024 due to the week-long protests that intensified on June 25, 2024 leading to the death of multiple protesters on account of law enforcement and the destruction of property including the Kenyan parliament and city hall, seat of the county government of the capital city Nairobi, that were both partially set ablaze.<\/p>\n

The ceremony was substituted by prayers for the nation and the injured with the conference issuing a statement urging for calm and dialogue in resolving the impasse between the state and aggrieved protesters.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery successful transformation movement is a peaceful one. Anything that leads to violence and destruction only begets more violence and destruction,\u201d said Dr. Moon, Chairman and Founder of the Global Peace Foundation lauding the Kenyan youth for taking the reins in advocating for impactful causes and urged them to maintain the spirit of peace.<\/p>\n

During the closing ceremony various speakers from across the continent championed youthful engagement in driving change and collaboration in the spirit of Ubuntu, while calling on African leaders to show their commitment to peace and ethical governance by investing in young people and who would take Africa to its next phase of prosperity.<\/p>\n

”Promoting democratic principles, transparency, and accountability is central to the African renaissance story. Good governance, political stability and the respect for human rights are therefore critical tools that must be supported to help position Africa as a key player in global peace and leadership development,” said former President of Nigeria His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo.<\/p>\n

Speaking during the Youth Leadership and Sustainable Development track, Moses Segun Obalade, Executive Director of the Peace Education and Network practice in Nigeria expressed the need for policies by African governments that reward and prioritize societal efforts and contributions towards the African renaissance spirit of Ubuntu.<\/p>\n

His sentiments were further echoed by Somalia\u2019s Abdisalan Dualeh, the Executive Director, Somaliland Youth Development and Voluntary Organization, who called for the creation and strengthening of youth led Pan-African organizations that would carry on the work of African integration and collaboration in pursuit of peace and sustainable development.<\/p>\n

The session that zeroed in, on the urgency and agency of restoring African economies by promoting self-reliance of the youth as one means of achieving sustainable development, called for simplified market access and enablement through financial inclusion, the lack of which has impeded youth participation and access opportunities especially affecting many marginalized and rural communities across Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinancial access is still largely governed by an individual\u2019s proficiency and understanding of financial concepts. Those with higher skills and expertise therefore have a better likelihood of achieving their financial goals.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this also means the majority poor will keep getting left behind with each generational advancement and which is one of the narratives that an African renaissance can change by opening new avenues for collaboration and learning to ensure each year we are lifting up more and more people out of poverty,” said inclusivity champion, Rachida El Rhdiou, relating her perspective with the situation back in her home country of Morocco.<\/p>\n

Otim Brian Joseph, the Former Deputy Youth Ambassador to the East Africa Community for the Republic ofUganda, called attention to the need for upscaling market access and skills transfer through digital technologies and programmes to reach far flung populations with priority on empowering women and youth entrepreneurs who currently need these services the most.<\/p>\n

The Patron of the Global Peace Foundation in Kenya, industrialist Dr. Manu Chandaria, in his message to the conference vocalized his vision for an African renaissance that would unlock the enormous potential of Africa and its people while urging those blessed with resources and opportunity to take lead in facilitating Africa’s development and eventual transformation starting at the local level while contributing new ideas to the continent.<\/p>\n

Among the key take outs of the conference was the call for Africans to also embrace their shared cultural, economic, and political heritage as a transformative movement to not only revive but also celebrate Africa\u2019s unique diversity with a renewed commitment to fostering global peace and stability.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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