By Guy Feugap, World BEYOND War, July 8, 2024
Omar Mboob, the Coordinator of the newly established World BEYOND War chapter in Gambia, has traveled to Azerbaijan to participate at the international OIC Youth Capital Conference in Shusha-Azerbaijan. The aim of the event is to empower and promote youth empowerment, innovation, leadership, peace among the Muslim community in the world and cultural exchange. 200 delegates from different countries were present in the event.
Omar took part in the 10th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Youth capital conference as a Youth leader and peace activist to promote peace and engage in dialogue, foster understanding and collaboration with other youths from various. He particularly shared experience on communication and cooperation among youth from different backgrounds, in order to help build bridges, cultivate empathy and promote collaboration, all of which are essential for advancing peace on a global scale. Omar believes that peace is important in order to live in a comfortable environment without any fear. Without peace, it will not be possible to achieve the levels of trust, cooperation and inclusiveness needed for societies to be resilient to shocks, manage disputes and adapt to changes in their environments.
The event was useful for the Gambian chapter of WBW because different ideas were shared from different country participants that will aim the chapter members to develop their knowledge in the side of peace building and feel the effects of wars and conflict. Back at the country after participating in the “Islamic Youth Talks for Peace and Harmony”, the chapter coordinator will share his ideas and knowledge about peace and conflict with different youth groups. One lesson learned from the event that can help move the Gambia chapter forward is the importance of collaboration and unity among members. Building strong partnerships, working together towards common goals, and leveraging the diverse skills and perspectives of members can greatly enhance the impact and effectiveness of the chapter in promoting peace and positive change within the Community. Moreover, Omar will use existing platforms for networking, sharing of best practices and learning, to share his experience with the other chapters in Africa.
As a result of this conference, Omar plans to implement more collaborative projects in his community to promote peace and understanding. Another action planned is to create initiatives for educating youths and even adults about the importance of peace, by organizing in-person or online awareness raising events.
