GNRC Workshop in Zanzizibar International Film Festival 2009

I. INTRODUCTION

The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) has been celebrated for the last 12 years. Since 2004, GNRC -Africa has been participating and exploring the ZIFF time to conduct Peace Camp for youths. The objective of these camps is to learn and share experiences on topics related to Peace and Ethics. Every year there is a focused ZIFF theme that GNRC adopts and, when necessary, modifies to suit its Mission and Vision. For 2009, the ZIFF theme was "Enduring Links, People, Media, and Environment". Once adopted by GNRC, the theme became: "Lasting Peace between People, Communication, Environment and Ethics". The ZIFF peace camp was held at Ecrotanal Hall in Zanzibar from 30th. June through 3rd. July, 2009. This affair involved 41 youth (20 girls and 21 boys) from peace clubs of Dar-Es-salaam, Arusha, Pemba, Unguja and Nairobi (Kenya) GNRC staff in addition to various partner organizations and the Ministry of Education and Training (Zanzibar).

Zameer, GNRC Program Manager, opened with a brief introduction of GNRC and its Peace and Ethics activities. He also asked the participants and guests to have a moment of silence in memory of the Late Prof. Haroub Othman who passed 3 days before. The late professor worked closely with GNRC and, as ambassador of peace, spent endless hours in promoting and coordinating efforts to achieve peace. After the introduction, Mr. Noorali welcomed the guest of Honor, Prof. Martin Mhando (ZIFF Director), to officially launch the peace camp workshop.

Prof. Mhando thanked the Ministry of Education (Zanzibar) for their commitment and cooperation in molding and working closely with children and organizations like GNRC, ZIFF, Children Panorama and others. Special thanks were extended to the Peace ambassadors (Children and Youths). Prof. Mhando let the audience know that ethics is "a Social system by which a certain community works by itself, runs and manages its daily life. The system has specific basic and good social guidelines."

Prof. Mhando stated that in every society a child has his/her place and contributes to the harmony of the family if the latter is built on peace and ethics. He explained that every family, society, nation and the world at large will be proud to create a child who has a great role in future generations that have no discrimination and/or killings of albinos Est. He further explained that one of the reasons ZIFF and GNRC work closely with children is to inspire Peace and Ethics within them.

Prof. Mhando's speech concluded by urging the children to make a special request to the parents to have a peaceful 2010 presidential election in Zanzibar and Tanzania in general. The professor stated that a peaceful election is possible if people can have the spirit to enduring one another.


II. OBJECTIVES

1. To give an avenue for exposure to youths and children (Peace Ambassadors) who have previously never attended ZIFF peace camps and to allow them to meet, learn and interact with people from different parts of the world with different backgrounds in all aspects (e.g. religion, traditions and culture, economically and talents in fine and performing arts.)
2. To reflect and learn from the GNRC-year theme during ZIFF "Lasting Peace between People, Communication, Environment and Ethics"
3. To share experiences on the topic and look for ways forward for lasting peace.
4. To expose its peace club members to the different educational sessions that were held during ZIFF and to realize the lessons learned in their community/society and strive for change.
5. Raise awareness on its Peace building work through peace camp sessions, film animation and Conscious Music.
6. To practice and cement the idea of "living together is possible regardless of the different background" and ensure its existence among the children and youths.

III. INPUT

1. GNRC collaborated with ZIFF offices, had meetings on the ZIFF events organization
2. GNRC organized a 3 days workshop and topics Presenters according to the year theme
3. GRNC prepared and distributed educational material (books and fliers) to raise awareness
4. Forty-one 41(20 Girls and 21 boys) Peace Ambassadors from Dar-Es-salaam, Arusha, Pemba, Unguja, Somalia and Kenya, GNRC staff, partner Organizations as well as the Ministry of education and Training- Zanzibar have all attended the camp.
5. Music Conscious group from GNRC and partner organization (Dogodogo Center) performed during ZIFF.
6. Observers from partner organization NCA were invited to oversee the workshop.
7. GNRC invited the Media to cover the workshop and to raise public awareness of peace related issues.
8. GNRC and NCA funded the Peace Camp workshop.

IV. OUTPUT
The 41 Children, youths and all those who attended were given a chance to learn from the presentations and theme related discussions. Some of the points learned were:

1. Good ethics is the foundation and vision to the lives of all people and the environment.
2. Bringing up children is the task of the whole society. Therefore, a child who lacks ethical values should not be punished but he should be guided to good values.
3. Human being and environment depend on each other. Therefore, keeping the environment safe is fundamental to all mankind.
4. Media have a great role in either bringing solutions or conflicts to a societies. Therefore, media should, at all time, consider ethics in all stages of its work.
5. Peace ambassadors met and interacted with internationally prominent figures like Mr. Danny Glover, UNICEF Good Will Ambassador, and got to hear encouraging messages on peace building and work.
6. The workshop youths came up with recommendation that the government and the society at large should work on (see annex "Statement and Recommendations”).
7. The government and the society got to learn, directly or through media, of GNRC's contributions for peace building activities.
8. During the Peace March and the Closing ceremony, the guest of honor was the Hon. Khamis Jabir, the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Education and Training in Zanzibar, who was joined with the special guest Mr. Danny Glover.
9. The Learning to Live Together toolkit and Folk Stories were distributed to the Ministry of Education to the guests of honor, distinguished guests, media, and peace ambassadors and to 6 schools in Zanzibar on thePeace March Day.
10. The peace ambassadors made a presentation through role play, debate and poetry. Suhaila Salum Abdallah from Shamiani peace club, for instance, delivered an ethics poem while others expressed what they had learned via different midiums( See annex).
11. Exposure for future networking.
12. To encourage peace ambassadors to have a meaningful participation on peace activities, GNRC gave awards for the best 3 Peace clubs (viz. Dar, Pemba and Unguja), The Best Ambassador during ZIFF and the 3 best participants during ZIFF.
13. Got to learn from GNRC Nairobi programs as Mr. Said briefly shared with the participants the peace initiative activities in Nairobi and Somalia.

V. CONCLUSION

The ZIFF 2009 was successful despite minor, yet workable, challenges. All the shortcomings that were identified during ZIFF should be worked on and there is room for improvement. A representative/Observer from NCA and others commended GNRC for a job well done in continuing to mold youths and children to a culture of peace. The NCA representative was amazed by the abilities and participation of all the Peace ambassadors during the workshop. During the Peace March (last day) 6 schools, 600 children obtained permission from the Ministry of Education and joined the march from Ecrotanal Hall to the Old Fort where the Guest of Honor (Mr. Khamis Jabir, Dep. Minister of Education) and Special Guest (Danny Glover, UNICEF goodwill ambassador) received them and their message. The march was led by a Brass band, while Dogodogo Multimedia dance group was performing at Old Fort ground.

GNRC Workshop in Zanzizibar International Film Festival 2009

I. INTRODUCTION

The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) has been celebrated for the last 12 years. Since 2004, GNRC -Africa has been participating and exploring the ZIFF time to conduct Peace Camp for youths. The objective of these camps is to learn and share experiences on topics related to Peace and Ethics. Every year there is a focused ZIFF theme that GNRC adopts and, when necessary, modifies to suit its Mission and Vision. For 2009, the ZIFF theme was "Enduring Links, People, Media, and Environment". Once adopted by GNRC, the theme became: "Lasting Peace between People, Communication, Environment and Ethics". The ZIFF peace camp was held at Ecrotanal Hall in Zanzibar from 30th. June through 3rd. July, 2009. This affair involved 41 youth (20 girls and 21 boys) from peace clubs of Dar-Es-salaam, Arusha, Pemba, Unguja and Nairobi (Kenya) GNRC staff in addition to various partner organizations and the Ministry of Education and Training (Zanzibar).

Zameer, GNRC Program Manager, opened with a brief introduction of GNRC and its Peace and Ethics activities. He also asked the participants and guests to have a moment of silence in memory of the Late Prof. Haroub Othman who passed 3 days before. The late professor worked closely with GNRC and, as ambassador of peace, spent endless hours in promoting and coordinating efforts to achieve peace. After the introduction, Mr. Noorali welcomed the guest of Honor, Prof. Martin Mhando (ZIFF Director), to officially launch the peace camp workshop.

Prof. Mhando thanked the Ministry of Education (Zanzibar) for their commitment and cooperation in molding and working closely with children and organizations like GNRC, ZIFF, Children Panorama and others. Special thanks were extended to the Peace ambassadors (Children and Youths). Prof. Mhando let the audience know that ethics is "a Social system by which a certain community works by itself, runs and manages its daily life. The system has specific basic and good social guidelines."

Prof. Mhando stated that in every society a child has his/her place and contributes to the harmony of the family if the latter is built on peace and ethics. He explained that every family, society, nation and the world at large will be proud to create a child who has a great role in future generations that have no discrimination and/or killings of albinos Est. He further explained that one of the reasons ZIFF and GNRC work closely with children is to inspire Peace and Ethics within them.

Prof. Mhando's speech concluded by urging the children to make a special request to the parents to have a peaceful 2010 presidential election in Zanzibar and Tanzania in general. The professor stated that a peaceful election is possible if people can have the spirit to enduring one another.


II. OBJECTIVES

1. To give an avenue for exposure to youths and children (Peace Ambassadors) who have previously never attended ZIFF peace camps and to allow them to meet, learn and interact with people from different parts of the world with different backgrounds in all aspects (e.g. religion, traditions and culture, economically and talents in fine and performing arts.)
2. To reflect and learn from the GNRC-year theme during ZIFF "Lasting Peace between People, Communication, Environment and Ethics"
3. To share experiences on the topic and look for ways forward for lasting peace.
4. To expose its peace club members to the different educational sessions that were held during ZIFF and to realize the lessons learned in their community/society and strive for change.
5. Raise awareness on its Peace building work through peace camp sessions, film animation and Conscious Music.
6. To practice and cement the idea of "living together is possible regardless of the different background" and ensure its existence among the children and youths.

III. INPUT

1. GNRC collaborated with ZIFF offices, had meetings on the ZIFF events organization
2. GNRC organized a 3 days workshop and topics Presenters according to the year theme
3. GRNC prepared and distributed educational material (books and fliers) to raise awareness
4. Forty-one 41(20 Girls and 21 boys) Peace Ambassadors from Dar-Es-salaam, Arusha, Pemba, Unguja, Somalia and Kenya, GNRC staff, partner Organizations as well as the Ministry of education and Training- Zanzibar have all attended the camp.
5. Music Conscious group from GNRC and partner organization (Dogodogo Center) performed during ZIFF.
6. Observers from partner organization NCA were invited to oversee the workshop.
7. GNRC invited the Media to cover the workshop and to raise public awareness of peace related issues.
8. GNRC and NCA funded the Peace Camp workshop.

IV. OUTPUT
The 41 Children, youths and all those who attended were given a chance to learn from the presentations and theme related discussions. Some of the points learned were:

1. Good ethics is the foundation and vision to the lives of all people and the environment.
2. Bringing up children is the task of the whole society. Therefore, a child who lacks ethical values should not be punished but he should be guided to good values.
3. Human being and environment depend on each other. Therefore, keeping the environment safe is fundamental to all mankind.
4. Media have a great role in either bringing solutions or conflicts to a societies. Therefore, media should, at all time, consider ethics in all stages of its work.
5. Peace ambassadors met and interacted with internationally prominent figures like Mr. Danny Glover, UNICEF Good Will Ambassador, and got to hear encouraging messages on peace building and work.
6. The workshop youths came up with recommendation that the government and the society at large should work on (see annex "Statement and Recommendations”).
7. The government and the society got to learn, directly or through media, of GNRC's contributions for peace building activities.
8. During the Peace March and the Closing ceremony, the guest of honor was the Hon. Khamis Jabir, the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Education and Training in Zanzibar, who was joined with the special guest Mr. Danny Glover.
9. The Learning to Live Together toolkit and Folk Stories were distributed to the Ministry of Education to the guests of honor, distinguished guests, media, and peace ambassadors and to 6 schools in Zanzibar on thePeace March Day.
10. The peace ambassadors made a presentation through role play, debate and poetry. Suhaila Salum Abdallah from Shamiani peace club, for instance, delivered an ethics poem while others expressed what they had learned via different midiums( See annex).
11. Exposure for future networking.
12. To encourage peace ambassadors to have a meaningful participation on peace activities, GNRC gave awards for the best 3 Peace clubs (viz. Dar, Pemba and Unguja), The Best Ambassador during ZIFF and the 3 best participants during ZIFF.
13. Got to learn from GNRC Nairobi programs as Mr. Said briefly shared with the participants the peace initiative activities in Nairobi and Somalia.

V. CONCLUSION

The ZIFF 2009 was successful despite minor, yet workable, challenges. All the shortcomings that were identified during ZIFF should be worked on and there is room for improvement. A representative/Observer from NCA and others commended GNRC for a job well done in continuing to mold youths and children to a culture of peace. The NCA representative was amazed by the abilities and participation of all the Peace ambassadors during the workshop. During the Peace March (last day) 6 schools, 600 children obtained permission from the Ministry of Education and joined the march from Ecrotanal Hall to the Old Fort where the Guest of Honor (Mr. Khamis Jabir, Dep. Minister of Education) and Special Guest (Danny Glover, UNICEF goodwill ambassador) received them and their message. The march was led by a Brass band, while Dogodogo Multimedia dance group was performing at Old Fort ground.


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Statement By The Children developed during the ZIFF 09 Workshop

STATEMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CHILDREN WHO PARTICIPATED IN A PEACE CAMP WORKSHOP ORGANIZED BY THE GLOBAL NETWORK OF RELIGIONS FOR CHILDREN (GNRC)-Africa THROUGH ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (ZIFF) July 3, 2009

Received by DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING – Zanzibar and UNICEF Ambassador Danny Glover.
Your Excellency guest of honor, we are 41 youth and children, participants in a Peace Camp from Unguja, Pemba, Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Kenya and Somalia. We have learned a lot in the past three days beginning 30th June 2009 up to 2nd July 2009. Everything we learned during these three days reflected the theme “Lasting peace between People, Communication, Environment and Ethics”.
Good ethics is the foundation and vision of every individual’s well being.

We believe that the upbringing of the young generation is the responsibility of the society and therefore, children should be taught and made fully aware of the morals and values for the prosperity of the society as a whole. And not to be removed or punished.
We have learned that human’s and environment depend on one another. Therefore, it is every individual’s responsibility to keep the environment safe, friendly, and clean. Media have also played a great role in bringing solutions or conflicts into societies. Therefore media should continue to consider ethics at every stage.
Yesterday 2nd July 2009 we were overwhelmed by the words of UNICEF good will Ambassador Mr. Danny Glover who visit our in-session workshop by a surprise.
Your Excellency guest of honor, we the youth and children recommend the following to your good office:

• Youth should be in the forefront of issues regarding Peace, Ethics and Environment.

• For the sake of Peace, societies should work together in harmony regardless of age, gender, religion and political boundaries.

• The government to create legislation to support Ethics and good values, in order to bring and maintain Peace.

• Government should introduce regulations and laws governing all matters concerning the environment.
We give our special thanks to GNRC Africa and ZIFF for their support and the facilitating of the Peace Camp Workshop for youth and children, and the Ministry of Education for their cooperation. The Ministry of Education should take in consideration to allow peace education in schools around the country.
Thank you.


Continue reading Statement By The Children developed during the ZIFF 09 Workshop

Statement By The Children developed during the ZIFF 09 Workshop

STATEMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CHILDREN WHO PARTICIPATED IN A PEACE CAMP WORKSHOP ORGANIZED BY THE GLOBAL NETWORK OF RELIGIONS FOR CHILDREN (GNRC)-Africa THROUGH ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (ZIFF) July 3, 2009

Received by DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING – Zanzibar and UNICEF Ambassador Danny Glover.
Your Excellency guest of honor, we are 41 youth and children, participants in a Peace Camp from Unguja, Pemba, Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Kenya and Somalia. We have learned a lot in the past three days beginning 30th June 2009 up to 2nd July 2009. Everything we learned during these three days reflected the theme “Lasting peace between People, Communication, Environment and Ethics”.
Good ethics is the foundation and vision of every individual’s well being.

We believe that the upbringing of the young generation is the responsibility of the society and therefore, children should be taught and made fully aware of the morals and values for the prosperity of the society as a whole. And not to be removed or punished.
We have learned that human’s and environment depend on one another. Therefore, it is every individual’s responsibility to keep the environment safe, friendly, and clean. Media have also played a great role in bringing solutions or conflicts into societies. Therefore media should continue to consider ethics at every stage.
Yesterday 2nd July 2009 we were overwhelmed by the words of UNICEF good will Ambassador Mr. Danny Glover who visit our in-session workshop by a surprise.
Your Excellency guest of honor, we the youth and children recommend the following to your good office:

• Youth should be in the forefront of issues regarding Peace, Ethics and Environment.

• For the sake of Peace, societies should work together in harmony regardless of age, gender, religion and political boundaries.

• The government to create legislation to support Ethics and good values, in order to bring and maintain Peace.

• Government should introduce regulations and laws governing all matters concerning the environment.
We give our special thanks to GNRC Africa and ZIFF for their support and the facilitating of the Peace Camp Workshop for youth and children, and the Ministry of Education for their cooperation. The Ministry of Education should take in consideration to allow peace education in schools around the country.
Thank you.

The Day of African Child

Introduction

Each year in Africa GNRC celebrates the Day of the African Child. The day is commemorated for the children who lost their lives on June 17th 1976 while demanding their rights  to receive education during the Apartheid era in South Africa.

With this date event in mind, earlier this year GNRC members met with government and other stakeholders to promote the idea of a joint commemoration. GNRC staff initiated meetings with the Ilala Regional Office and, after reaching agreement, further coordinated with the Social Development Officer for additional conceptual development and implementation. 

Preparation

In preparation for this event four meetings occurred: four weeks prior to the launch of the event. Participants were representatives from Global Networking of Religions for Children (GNRC), Plan International, Right to Play, Mtandao Wa Habari Wa Vajana Tanzania (MTAHAWAVITA), and government officials from the Ilala region.

During these discussions it was determined to conduct to primary events:

1. A one-day children's symposium for DAC statement preparation (June 13, 2009)

2. Day of the African Child (June 16, 2009)

GNRC responsibilities included:
• the one-day children's symposium for DAC statement preparation (June 13, 2009)
• contribution of 25 T-shirts for children attending the symposium
• designation and delivery of 11-13 children to the one-day symposium and 300 children from the various peace clubs for the Day of the African Child event (June 16, 2009).
• Provide and exhibit an animated film, performance drama, acrobats, poetry readings, traditional dance and other activities from the Peace Clubs
• locate and provide a public address system for use at the DAC
• provide refreshments and fare for the children

Objectives

During the preparation phase the following objectives were identified:
• to come together and reflect on the events of June 16, 1976 and the subsequent yearly commemoration of the Day of the African Child
• to join with other children's rights activist and continue to strongly advocate for the rights of our children.
• to identify/ realize each stakeholders strength and potentiality
• Join with other stakeholders to develop ideas and preparations for commemoration of DAC
• share resources among stakeholders to provide a more thorough and efficient program than would be possible for any one individual organization
• provide opportunities for the children to explore, discuss, and develop their rights, responsibilities and opportunities
• use this venue to identify and promote talented children

Success and Achievements

The following achievements are demonstrative of the success of the symposium and DAC:
• Fifty-three children sponsored through the GNRC representing the three regional municipalities conferred at the Salvation Army during the symposium on June 13, 2009.
• During the DAC, GNRC launched six new Peace Clubs, distributed more than 500 copies of the Folk Stories book produced by GNRC to participating children and schools
• Twenty copies of the Learn-to-Live-Together toolkit were distributed to participating guests from the educational sector and the ministry

Reacting to the DAC yearly theme, "A Suitable Conducive Africa for the Child, Enhance and Sustain His Rights to Survival" ( in Swahili, "Africa imfaayo Mtoto Himiza ne endeleza hakie ya Kuishi"), the children focused on problems relating to inadequate health centers and services, malaria and the killings of albino. All of these factors impede the "Right to Survival" at different stages of development from conception through adulthood. The children decided to compose a petition (See Attached) to the government and society-at-large promising and urging for the sake of other children to following:

• The children will continue to sensitize one another and continue advocating for their "Right to Survival" and avoiding exposure to risky environments e.g., drug abuser, pushers, etc.
• To continue to meet and evaluate what is being to used to enhance and sustain child survival
• Advocate for the protection of children from danger, including the need for adequate and balanced meals, health centers, etc.
• Consideration of the needs of children in all social decision making
• Urging NGOs and CBOs to continue support for programs assisting expectant mothers
• Urging NGOs and CBOs to continue educational programs on family planning and child safety issues
• Urging the government to continue the distribution of free mosquito nets to expectant mothers and children
• Urging the development of additional and improved health services and the ward level
• Enhancement of the public health vaccination program


Other notable issues:
• Media coverage played a key role in the success of these events, especially through raising awareness of the movement throughout the society-at-large.
• GNRC provided documentation of these events through video and still photography
• Networking expansion was realized through working with other organizations and stakeholders
• The government interacted with GNRC and they developed a further understanding and comfort with our role within society

SUMMARY OF OUTCOME

In general, every stakeholder fulfilled its role from the preparation phase through the DAC on June 16, 2009. About 800 children and 100 adults representing the government, GNRC, Plan International, MTAHAWAVITA, invited partners and guests gathered for the commemoration at William Benjamin Mkapa grounds. Entertainment and learning opportunities were enjoyed by all participants.

Conclusion

The event was successful. A total of 900 children and adults gathered to commemorate the Day of the African Child. All stakeholders participated in expressing, sharing and developing their ideas on the importance of children to the future of Africa and the world. The replacement Guest of Honor Ms. Rita Kibati, Unkonga Special Seats Counselor, commended all who participated in making the DAC 2009 successful. She also urged the society-at-large and the stakeholders to join hands and enhance and sustain the "Suitable Africa for the Children to Survive" campaign, and for each participant to enjoy life. She condemned the killing of Albinos for superstitious and greedy reasons. On behalf of the government she promised to work on the children's petition and concluded her speech by saying, "Every child is everyone's child, so it is everyone's responsibility to make certain all children survive."

It is GNRC's hope that all Peace Club members, staff, partners and everyone will work towards and live up to this year's DAC theme and bring PEACE.




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