Draft Culture of Peace Programme in Mozambique 39-42

PROJECT PROFILE 4.0

Young people make up the greatest majority of the population of Mozambique, and therefore they play a critical role in reconciliation and the consolidation of peace, not only for future generations, but also for the next few years which must be years of transformation.

The youth of Mozambique face formidable problems: large-scale unemployment, marginality, migration, and lack of educational experience and resources. More than half of school-age children have never been to school and the others have received schooling which is brief and of poor quality. These problems are intensified at this moment because of the demobilization of tens of thousands of young soldiers.

Despite its problems, the youth of Mozambique have enormous resources of creativity, innovation and capacity for hard work. In many cases without support, they are already engaged in a wide variety of artistic and entrepreneurial activities that contribute to a culture and economy of peace.

It is up to the youth themselves to harness their creative energy and apply it to the task of rebuilding a peaceful Mozambique. However, often they lack the training, materials, and even the smallest financial means and resources to carry out their projects. Support on even a small scale can yield a rich harvest of return.

In addition to resources, young people deserve recognition for the work they are doing. By helping to publicize their creative work, the Culture of Peace Programme can contribute to their role in rebuilding Mozambican society, socially as well as economically.

The rebuilding of Southern Africa by the new generation is a task which transcends national boundaries. Already, some Mozambican youth have worked together with those of other countries in the region in international voluntary workcamps, such as one in Namibia in 1992, and they have taken part in many joint cultural activities.

This training emphasizes in-service training in peace culture to animators working among youth on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, religious organizations, and other non-governmental organizations. It also provides for the training and deployment of additional youth animators to stimulate new initiatives, especially in rural areas.

Rural youth centers are to be established in north, central and southern regions in conjunction with existing centers. These will be located at a distance from major cities (Maputo, Beira, Nampula) in order to provide a cultural focus to attract youth back towards the countryside.

An emphasis will be placed on the support or establishment of youth circles for artistic and small business enterprises. They will be supported by training which includes culture of peace as well as artistic, literacy and/or occupational skills. Youth artistic and small enterprises will be supported by small loans from a fund administered by the Ministry of Youth and Culture.

Youth initiatives will be stimulated by an annual competition for "innovator youth" to be held on a regional basis and for which substantial prizes (1,000 to 3,000 US$) will be awarded.

Support will be given to regional youth seminars organized by the National Commission of UNESCO, by religious organizations and by other non-governmental organizations in order to bring together youth associations with different perspectives, including from different localities, ethnic and language groups and political perspectives with the goal of promoting mutual understanding and reconciliation and the formulation of common goals, demands and projects.

Performing arts groups with peace and reconciliation themes will receive support in rural areas. These will include groups and individuals engaged in theatre, dance, music reflecting traditional themes of peace, reconciliation and mutual understanding.

Support will be given to youth associations for the organization of regional sporting events in the name of peace and reconciliation.

Support will be given to international workcamps in which Mozambican youth engage with youth of other African countries in seasonal projects in rural areas for economic production, environmental protection or preservation of natural and cultural patrimony.

Studies will be carried out in the framework of the project by Mozambican research organizations independent of the executing agencies in order to study the situation for youth in the context of the activities undertaken, evaluate the effectiveness of these activities and propose recommendations for future projects.

Summary of Activities:

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