"Ambassadors Peace Camp" in Uganda

This summer, 32 youths and 6 teachers from the Western, Northern, West Nile, Eastern, and Central regions of Uganda came together from August 12th through the 16th on the shores of Lake Victoria to participate in the Ambassador’s Peace Camp.  This camp was specifically created to  draw different perspectives of what peace means to individuals and concepts of how to build peace, create understandings of how individuals escalate conflict, reduce perceived differences between individuals from the North and South through appreciating cultural diversity; and promote behaviours that make a peacemaker.

Uganda is a regionalized country where many cultural stereotypes persist.  “This camp was unique in that it was the first time that youth from all five regions of Uganda were present at one camp and had the opportunity to interact with each other,” explained Dinah Mayanja, Assistant Program Coordinator for Action for Peace and Conflict Transformation (APCT).  It was very clear from the beginning that these youths had been misinformed about each other’s cultures.  However, through cultural presentations, group work, and discussions understanding was achieved and friendships were formed.

The importance of having a peace camp in Uganda is paramount due to the fact that youths in this country have been directly and indirectly affected by violence.  This is a reality not only due to the violent conflicts that persist but also as a result of the cultural and economic dynamics that are present.  75% of Uganda’s population is under the age of 18 and many of these individuals have adopted violence and confrontation as a means of solving differences.  Therefore, these youths are potential carriers and promoters of violence so there is an immediate need to teach them to create sustainable and relevant peace.  The camp taught concepts of peace and how to deal with conflicts in a nonviolent way.  These ideas were facilitated through lectures, discussions, group work, performances, and student led sessions. 

The camp acted as the first project of APCT, a Ugandan-based Non-Governmental Organization created by members of the Masters of Arts Program in Peace and Conflict Studies at Makerere University, but it is certainly not the last.  “We are going to remain in contact with all of these youths.  We plan to start a peace club network throughout Uganda which will act as a way for these youths as well as others to interact with each other and promote peace throughout the country,” according to Don Ssenjonjo, a Project Officer for APCT. 

On the last day of the camp there were discussions with all of the schools and how APCT would be able to support them and their peace clubs.  There are going to be follow-up visits with all of these students and their peace clubs starting in September.  “We are all agreeing to work together and promote peace in as many ways as we can in our communities.  We would like to see the peaceful coexistence of all Ugandans,” said the students from the Alliance School in Kampala. 

The teachers present at the camp also agreed to support the peace clubs in their schools.  They all successfully completed Alternative to Violence Project training during the camp which exposed them to the many concepts and ways to deal with conflict.  This training will aid them in being able to positively help and influence their students as well as the peace clubs present at their schools.

The Ambassador’s Peace Camp was organized by Action for Peace and Conflict Transformation and funded by The Eagle Down Foundation of Canada.