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2 clusters · 2 sources · 8 days · First seen · Last updated

West African community peacebuilding initiatives

Overview

Community-led peacebuilding initiatives are being implemented in West Africa to combat violent extremism and strengthen social cohesion. In Benin, ‘Peace Caravans’ were held in the communes of Gogounou and Pèrèrè to establish peace messengers and counter hate speech through local language translations and public displays promoting religious respect.

In Burkina Faso, efforts have focused on both community dialogue and youth engagement. The Association Jeunes Faiseurs de Paix organized the ‘Graines de cohésion’ caravan in Ouagadougou to emphasize collective resilience and prevent religious instrumentalization. Additionally, the fifth edition of the ‘Bark Biiga’ Peace Camp utilized artistic workshops—including theater, painting, and poetry—to train children and adolescents as ‘Messengers of Peace.’ This program has transitioned from previous focuses on social media awareness and drug prevention toward using artistic expression to combat internal violence and foster community dialogue.

Entities

Pèrèrè · UNDP · Burkina Faso · Association Jeunes Faiseurs de Paix · Ouagadougou

Timeline

  1. 25 days ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Burkina Faso hosts Bark Biiga Peace Camp to promote social cohesion through art

    The fifth ‘Bark Biiga’ Peace Camp in Burkina Faso used art, including theater and painting, to train 60 youth as ‘Messengers of Peace’ to promote social cohesion and dialogue.

  2. about 1 month ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Peace caravans promote social cohesion in Benin and Burkina Faso

    Peace caravans in Benin and Burkina Faso are promoting social cohesion and dialogue to combat violent extremism and hate speech through community engagement and local leadership.

Sources

atd-quartmonde.org · femininactu.com