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On the Road for Peace

25 young Kenyans from 15 different communities are traveling the country to promote peace

17. september 2008

The so called Peace Caravan consisting of an overland truck was flagged off Saturday 6^th of September in Ongata Rungai South of Nairobi. Since then the 25 passagers have been traveling the road through Central Province, Laikipia, Isiolo, Marsabit and up to Moyale on the Ethiopian border.

During every stop over youth on the caravan have been bringing together people from different rivaling communities. Focus has been on creating dialogue between local youth, but others age sets have been involved too.

In Isiolo the Caravan was welcomed by traditional dancers.

In Marsabit for instance, elders from different groups were invited for a social evening. The elders chatted about peace and conflict till late in the evening after which the chose to sleep under the same roof. This is a quite remarkable achievement in a town otherwise worn to shreds by ethnic tension, says Morten Heise who is traveling on the caravan.

Morten Heise is an organizational advisor with MS Kenya partner PeaceNet who have organized for the caravan in collaboration with youth group Voluntary Youth Philatropists.

The caravan is funded by means from the MS national collection in Denmark in May this year. On Sunday May 18^th about 2000 volunteers went from door to door in Denmark to collect money for peace building activities in Kenya after the post election conflict. A range of other activities managed by PeaceNet will be carried out with money from the collection.

Young acrobats from Kibera were part of the mobilisation team on board.

When the caravan was flagged off Saturday 6^th of September, MS Kenya director Jesper E. Lauridsen in his speech emphasized that youth play a crucial role in matters of peace and war in Kenya.

"MS Kenya is proud to sponsor this Youth Peace Caravan because we believe the youth have the capacity to either create or obstruct peace. What we saw in the aftermath of the Dec 07 disputed election was a clear testimony of what youth can do - or can be used to do” he said.

MS Kenya director Jesper E. Lauridsen on stage in Ongata-Rungai together with leader of the Peace Caravan, Rachel Wambui, of Voluntary Youth Philantropists.

The caravan is set to return to Nairobi on Saturday, September 20^th, and Jesper E. Lauridsen added that the real challenge may still lay ahead after that.

”My challenge is what happens after the caravan has ended - since this is only one event. How can this energy and the vision for this caravan be sustained throughout they year and beyond. I call upon other stakeholders including the government to help sustain such initiatives because the future belongs to the youth of today.”