Imagine Africa Beyond War: World BEYOND War Africa Regional Peace Conference

Imagine Africa Beyond War was hosted on Zoom from 23 to 25 November 2023, providing a space for networking among participants.

About World BEYOND War

World BEYOND War (WBW) is a global nonviolent movement founded on January 1st, 2014, to abolish the institution of war and establish a just and sustainable peace. The heart of WBW is to find a way to transition to a global security system that is supported by international law, diplomacy, collaboration, and human rights, and defending those things with nonviolent action rather than the threat of violence. The work of WBW includes education that dispels myths, like “War is natural” or “We have always had war,” and show people not only that war should be abolished, but also that it actually can be. This work includes all variety of nonviolent activism that moves the world in the direction of ending all war. World BEYOND War currently coordinates 25 chapters in 14 countries and maintains partnerships with 97 affiliates around the world.

In Africa, the first WBW chapter was established in November 2020 in Cameroon. In addition to establishing its presence in a country that has already been severely affected by the war, the chapter made it one of its objectives to support emerging chapters and expand the vision of the organisation across the continent. As a result of awareness, coaching and networking, chapters have emerged in Burundi and Nigeria; others are in the process of being established, like in Uganda, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Kenya, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, and more.

Background: The Increasing Threats to Peace in Africa

Africa is a vast continent with diverse countries, some of which are affected by conflicts. These conflicts have resulted in significant humanitarian crises, displacement of people, and loss of lives. Africa has experienced numerous conflicts, both internal and external, over the years. Some of the ongoing conflicts include the civil war in South Sudan, the insurgency by Boko Haram in Nigeria and neighboring countries Cameroon, Chad and Niger, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the violence in the Central African Republic, and the armed conflict in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon. Arms transfers and the proliferation of illicit weapons increase these conflicts and prevent consideration of non-violent and peaceful alternatives. Peace is threatened in most African countries because of poor governance, the lack of basic social services, the absence of democracy and inclusive and transparent electoral processes, the absence of political transition, the ever-increasing exacerbation of hatred, etc. The miserable living conditions of most African populations and the lack of opportunities for young people in particular have regularly led to uprisings and protests that are often violently repressed. Nevertheless, protest movements resist, some such as “Fix our country” in Ghana have gone beyond national borders to inspire peace activists across the continent and beyond. WBW’s vision is ideally grounded in Africa, a continent long plagued by wars that very often do not interest the whole world in the same way as when other parts of the world are concerned. In Africa, wars are generally neglected and only of concern to the world’s major powers for interests other than “ending war”; so, they are often even deliberately maintained. Whether they are in the West, the East, in Africa or elsewhere, wars cause the same damage and trauma to people’s lives and have equally serious consequences for the environment. That’s why it’s important to talk about war in the same way wherever it occurs, and to look for solutions with the same seriousness for stopping it and rebuilding devastated areas. This is the approach taken by WBW in Africa and is behind the idea of an annual regional conference, with a view to achieving a certain justice in the struggle against wars around the world. For the first time, under the auspices of the Cameroon Chapter, current and emerging WBW chapters have agreed to use this platform to ultimately put an end to war in Africa and contribute to world peace. Previously, a virtual space for learning, exchanging and creating peace projects brought together young people from Cameroon, Nigeria, South Sudan and Kenya in a WBW project. As part of the Peace Education and Action for Impact (PEAFI) project, teams from these countries worked together with young people from other countries around the world, with a total of 10 countries trained online for 6 weeks and developing and implementing peace projects over an 8-week period. Such success has led us to realise that by working together and strategising with others around the world, WBW chapters can create great opportunities to challenge the global system that institutionalises war.

Justification

Building on peace perspectives that emerged so far from the work of Cameroon for a WBW, the first ever African virtual conference will be held this year from 23 to 25 November 2023. The conference is aimed at showcasing the opportunities that WBW chapters in Africa have to end wars and contribute to world peace-building efforts. It will bring together WBW members and affiliates from around the world, organisations that share similar goals and actors who can support this work. The conference will be grounded around the following issues: the stake of security in WBW country chapters, why WBW is needed in Africa and in the world, peacebuilding efforts and regional perspectives.

This year’s first ever WBW conference to stop war in Africa focuses on exposing wars and war-driven factors that prevent the continent from envisioning sustainable peace. It explores existing and potential opportunities to picture how Africa beyond war is really like, by showcasing the work for just and sustainable peace and unique perspectives of activists in the continent who are challenging the structural causes of wars. The virtual conference shall be an opportunity for experience sharing, learning, inspiration, and an opportunity to connect with stakeholders around the world who share our vision for a just and peaceful world, so that together some practical strategies needed to get us there can be considered.

As part of the collaboration with African Chapters, the regional conference is proposed to be organized each year in one of our countries to enhance our roles as agents of change and key actors in implementing WBW’s AGSS (alternative global security system), to further strengthen and increase WBW networks and find new synergies on how to collectively work to end all wars. The first edition is hosted virtually. Through 3 days of online panels and discussion sessions from November 23-25, participants will “Imagine Africa Beyond War.”

Objectives

Strengthen the collaboration amongst WBW Chapters and allies in Africa and worldwide and envisage World BEYOND War’s blueprint for an alternative security system as the approach to imagine Africa beyond war.

  • Increase WBW’s visibility in the African region and further strengthen and find synergies on how to collectively work for a stronger and more effective outreach;
  • Enhance WBW African Chapters’ roles as agents of creating a culture of peace and key actors in implementing the AGSS;
  • Learn from participants’ experiences and build on best practices and challenges promoting peace.

Schedule

  • Opening ceremony: Welcome remarks by David Swanson, WBW Executive Director, and Guy Blaise Feugap, WBW Cameroon Chapter Coordinator
  • Introduction of African Chapter Coordinators
  • Getting to know WBW’s work, how to get involved and set up a chapter, with Greta Zarro, WBW Organizing Director, and Rachel Small, WBW Canada Organizer
  • Key achievements of the first WBW Chapter in Africa and the movement building in Africa, with Guy Feugap, WBW Cameroon Chapter Coordinator
  • Space for one-on-one interactions: Breakout rooms and report back to the plenary
  • Challenges in conflict prevention and peace-building work in Africa (by WBW Coordinators from Burundi, Nigeria, DRC, Uganda, Senegal and Mali)
  • Examples of campaigns that can be done in Africa (by Godwin Kweku, journalist in Ghana)
  • Peace and partnership opportunities in Africa (by Shane Guthrie, Peace Brigades International)
  • Space for one-on-one interactions
  • Reflections on possible support of WBW’s work in Africa, by WBW’s Development Director Alex McAdams
  • Conditions for peace: What we know from Europe? (by Wolfgang Lieberknecht, International Peace Factory Wanfried, Germany)
  • Closing ceremony:
    • African traditional conflict prevention and resolution methods (by Judithe Lyhuitekong, Cameroon chapter member, and conference participants)
    • African cultural and peace ceremonies
  • Closing remarks by WBW Board President Kathy Kelly and Guy Feugap, WBW Cameroon Chapter Coordinator

Speakers

Picture of Guy Feugap

Guy Feugap

Guy Feugap, a national of Cameroon, is a secondary school teacher, writer and peace activist. His overall job is to educate youth for peace and non-violence. His work puts young girls in particular at the heart of crisis resolution, awareness raising on several issues in their communities. He joined WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom) in 2014 and founded the Cameroon Chapter of World BEYOND War in 2020.

Picture of Moses Ogwang Adonyo

Moses Ogwang Adonyo

Mr. Moses Ogwang Adonyo is a Public Health Specialist, Policy Researcher and Advocacy with Master in Public Health at Makerere University Kampala, Bachelor of Sciences in Public Health and Bachelor of Science in Community Health, and Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Community Health. Mr. Moses was born in 1980 in a small city in northern Uganda and grew up in the war tone zone of northern Uganda, where he lives in an Internal Displaced Camps (IDP) for nearly 23 years of the northern insurgency of Lord Resistance Army – Kony.

Mr. Moses is a Co-founder of the World BEYOND War Ugandan Chapter which was established in 2022. He is also the Co-founder and Executive Director of North East African Community Health Initiative formerly known as the Facilitation for Integrated Community Rural Development, a national Non-Governmental Organization established in July 2006 under the post war recovered of northern Uganda, where 1.5 million children and women were adopted by the LRA. Currently Mr. Moses is a member of the Steering Committee of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant Protection Project, Ukraine.

Picture of Leon Mkangya Alenga

Leon Mkangya Alenga

Born in Kilimbalimba on June 07, 1971, Leon Mkangya Alenga is Coordinator of the Peace Organization for Development Opportunities OPOD asbl/World BEYOND War in Democratic Republic of Congo (OPOD asbl/WBW DRC).

He is an Expert in Reflection on the Practice of Peace (RPP) and a Facilitator in the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP). Former Field Coordinator for the Change Agent Peace Program (CAPP/ Quaker Service Norway) in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Picture of Fatoumata Sossia Djire

Fatoumata Sossia Djire

Fatoumata Sossia Djire is a highly dedicated professional, bringing 5 years of experience in the Non-Profit sector, with a specialization in conflict resolution and gender issues. Her passion for research and unwavering commitment to collaborating with women and youth drive her efforts to foster gender equality. In addition, she actively advocates for SDG 16, working towards promoting peace on a global scale.

Picture of Shane Guthrie

Shane Guthrie

Shane Guthrie has worked and volunteered in peace and human rights for 35 years. He was a field volunteer in the Indonesia Project of Peace Brigades International (PBI) from 1999 to 2002. He has since supported PBI in logistics, training, and human resources management, in Kenya and in its international governance. He also worked with human rights organisations in Indonesia on capacity building and strategic communication. In Australia, he worked as a social justice researcher for several parliamentarians. He currently works in community development for people with disability. Shane has a Master of Development Studies, focused on human rights protection.

Picture of Kathy Kelly

Kathy Kelly

Kathy Kelly has been President of the Board of World BEYOND War since March 2022, prior to which time she served as a member of the Advisory Board. She is based in the United States, but is often elsewhere. Kathy’s efforts to end wars have led her to living in war zones and prisons over the past 35 years. In 2009 and 2010, Kathy was part of two Voices for Creative Nonviolence delegations which visited Pakistan to learn more about the consequences of U.S. drone attacks. From 2010 – 2019, the group organized dozens of delegations to visit Afghanistan, where they continued learning about casualties of U.S. drone attacks. Voices also helped organize protests at U.S. military bases operating weaponized drone attacks. She is now a co-coordinator of the Ban Killer Drones campaign.

Picture of Wolfgang Lieberknecht

Wolfgang Lieberknecht

Wolfgang Lieberknecht is a co-coordinator of the World BEYOND War International Peace Factory Wanfried chapter. He is in favour of seeing ourselves worldwide as a human family that works together to ensure that all its members can live in dignity. This is also the philosophy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The previous generation in Germany waged an imperialist war that cost the lives of over 60 million people; Germans engaged in slave trading and brutal colonisation. As part of the Western alliance, the German state does everything it can to maintain the unjust world order. Many people in Germany don't know about it, others don't care. Wolfgang learnt about this as a teenager and has spent his whole life trying to contribute to change. For many years in the African-European Black and White Initiative. Today, he is working with others to set up the International PeaceFactory Wanfried in his home town as a space where people from different countries, religions and skin colours can get to know each other and train to create peace, because we don't get it for free: we have to work hard for it. But anyone who has experienced the suffering of war knows that we are all responsible for it because we did not commit ourselves in time to finding peaceful solutions.

Picture of Judithe Lyhuitekong

Judithe Lyhuitekong

Judithe Lyhuitekong from Cameroon has been working as teacher since 2008. As she exercises her duty in a conflict zone, she has witnessed the heedlessness and horror of war of which she's also a muti-victim. As a member of WBW Cameroon, she had the opportunity in 2022 to participate in the experience sharing with other peace workers from various countries, within the framework of the Ignite Circle pilot project by Fields of Peace.

Picture of Godwin Kweku Tetteh Maulepe

Godwin Kweku Tetteh Maulepe

Godwin Kweku Tetteh Maulepe is from Ghana, where he works as a journalist.

He manages (Executive Producer) the production of a political TV and radio program in Ghana (ONUA TV ONUA FM CHANNEL). The widely watched program called Onua MAAKYE with Captain Smart (the Host) repeatedly exposes misconduct by the Ghanaian government and ruling class for good living and peace development.

Picture of Abdoul Aziz M’Bodji

Abdoul Aziz M’Bodji

Abdoul Aziz M’BODJI is a co-coordinator of the World BEYOND War Senegal chapter. He was born in 1997 at Dya, in the department of Kaolack. He went to elementary and secondary school in this same city where he graduated top of the whole school. Since 2018, he studies at the training and research in legal and political sciences unit at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis du Sénégal. He is currently campaigner for the Amnesty International section at UGB. Passionnate with international relations, he is specialized in Peace and Safety.

Picture of Alex McAdams

Alex McAdams

Alex McAdams is World BEYOND War’s Development Director. She is based in Canada. Alex is an activist and artist. She has worked as a content producer, advocate, and director of development for various arts, social justice, and civil rights organizations. With a B.A. from the University of Vermont in Women’s Studies and Philosophy and a J.D. with a focus in civil rights from CUNY School of Law, much of Alex’s work has focused on giving voice to and advocating for the rights and protections of marginalized communities. Alex’s anti-war work started as a member and organizer for Food Not Bombs and then as an organizer and co-producer of the original Not In Our Name event that took place in NYC following September 11 in response to the U.S. government’s unjustified militaristic response. Several years ago, she spent time in Vietnam working on a photography project to document the continued environmental and health effects of Agent Orange, which was used by the U.S. military during the American/Vietnam War. While there, she worked with the Vietnam Friendship Village which was started by an American/Vietnam War veteran to serve and provide residence for orphaned children who suffered physical and mental disabilities because of the U.S. military’s use of chemical warfare. The organization’s mission to advocate for cross-cultural dialogue around the long-term effects of war while pushing for non-violent conflict resolution, was the impetus behind Alex’s own passion for peace and interest in finding alternatives to war in the face of conflict. Alex currently lives in Canada with her partner and two dogs but is originally from the New York and Boston areas.

Picture of Elvis Ndihokubwayo

Elvis Ndihokubwayo

Elvis Ndihokubwayo is a medical student and peace activist in Burundi. He is the Chapter Coordinator for World BEYOND War Burundi. Pro liberty, Elvis has advocated for human rights since 2017, coordinating young people and students from different universities in Burundi and across the East Africa region to exchange on different topics about peace. Says Elvis, “I believe that once youth are transformed positively, communities are changed and strengthened. I embrace dignity for all and for a peaceful world.”

Picture of Jane Obiora

Jane Obiora

Jane Obiora is the Chapter Coordinator for World BEYOND War Nigeria, the Coordinator for Centre for Peace Advancement and Socio-Economic Development (CPAED) and Chairperson of Open Government Partnership (OGP) on improving service delivery where she promotes peace and advocates for strong, functional and inclusive society. She works to inspire the creation of ideas, development and implementation of various projects and programs as well as to provide strategic direction for the achievement of goals. Jane holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the Ahmadu Bello University and has 7-years of hands-on working experience. Well versed in project management, capacity development, peace building and youth activism, Jane seeks to make a tangible, notable and lasting impact. As an energetic and innovative thinker, she focuses on stimulating governments, individuals, and communities to make positive impact.

Picture of Rachel Small

Rachel Small

Rachel Small is Canada Organizer for World BEYOND War. She is based in Toronto, Canada, on Dish with One Spoon and Treaty 13 Indigenous territory. Rachel is a community organizer. She has organized within local and international social/environmental justice movements for over a decade, with a special focus on working in solidarity with communities harmed by Canadian extractive industry projects in Latin America. She has also worked on campaigns and mobilizations around climate justice, decolonization, anti-racism, disability justice, and food sovereignty. She has a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University. She has a background in art-based activism and has facilitated projects in community mural-making, independent publishing and media, spoken word, guerilla theatre, and communal cooking with people of all ages across Canada. She lives downtown with her partner and kids, and can often be found at a protest or direct action, gardening, spray painting, and playing softball.

Picture of David Swanson

David Swanson

David Swanson is Co-Founder, Executive Director, and a Board Member of World BEYOND War. He is based in Virginia in the United States. David is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. Swanson’s books include War Is A Lie. He blogs at DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org. He hosts Talk World Radio. He is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and was awarded the 2018 Peace Prize by the U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation. Longer bio and photos and videos here. Follow him on Twitter: @davidcnswanson and FaceBook. Sample videos.

Picture of Marion Transetti

Marion Transetti

Marion Transetti is a co-coordinator of the World BEYOND War Senegal chapter. She started her peace activism at a very young age. She was indeed, at 7 years old, the one who people came to ask for help in order to manage conflicts in the schoolyard. Later, Marion continued relentlessly her Peace mission in several countries around the world and within many organizations including Amnesty International. In love with Africa (she lived in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and now Senegal), she wants to provide her active support to Peace initiatives which already exist everywhere in Senegal and on the continent in order to contribute to the development of a united and serene Africa.

Picture of Greta Zarro

Greta Zarro

Greta Zarro is Organizing Director of World BEYOND War. She is based in New York State in the United States. Greta has a background in issue-based community organizing. Her experience includes volunteer recruitment and engagement, event organizing, coalition building, legislative and media outreach, and public speaking. Greta graduated as valedictorian from St. Michael’s College with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Anthropology. She previously worked as New York Organizer for leading non-profit Food & Water Watch. There, she campaigned on issues related to fracking, genetically engineered foods, climate change, and the corporate control of our common resources. Greta and her partner run Unadilla Community Farm, a non-profit organic farm and permaculture education center in Upstate New York.

Translate To Any Language