Draft Culture of Peace Programme in Mozambique 43-46

PROJECT PROFILE 5.0

This project is designed to multiply the effects of the other projects in the Culture of Peace Programme by making them known to the wider population through the mass media, especially radio and print media.

Radio is a very effective means of mass communication in Mozambique today. A recent study by the Institute for the Improvement of Teachers (IAP) found that 50% of teachers from various provinces listen regularly to the radio, of whom a large proportion said that they keep the radio on all of the time they are at home.

In the early days of independence Mozambique established an extensive network of community radios based on "social communication centers". These were installed in the middle of the rural community and were managed by the community, with an aim to diffuse programmes of educational value including health, education, entertainment, agriculture, environment and cultural messages.

An important part of this Project is support for the reinstallation of community radio in rural areas of the country, beginning with districts in four provinces which are presently underserved by communication systems.

A national campaign of radio messages, based on the activities of culture of peace and other related projects, and based on Mozambican traditions of peace in theatre, oral traditions, etc. will be produced and transmitted in this project, with an emphasis on use of the community radios and production of broadcasts in national languages.

The production of materials in national languages is of great importance because the majority of the population (75% according to the census of 1980) do not speak Portuguese, but only speak national languages. These languages include Emakuwa (4 million speakers), three other languages spoken by over a million (Xichangana, Cisena, and Echuwabo) and nine other languages spoken by over 200,000 people, including Cishon and Xitswa spoken by 800,000 and 700,000 respectively.

The project also supports the production and dissemination of written and audio-visual materials supporting a culture of peace with training and the support of initiatives by writers and journalists through a variety of small projects including posters and pamphlets, a "peace review", an annual prize for peace journalism, and credit for small media initiatives.

Journalists, whether print, radio or television, have a position of great potential to propagate the culture of peace. Therefore, a priority of this project is to provide training to journalists in the principles of a culture of peace, democracy and human rights, and to keep them informed on the results of activities and experiences of the Mozambican people in the context of the Culture of Peace Programme. An annual prize will recognize the most significant contribution by a journalist to peace and reconciliation.

The production of radio programmes for peace, especially radio theatre productions in national languages will receive a priority support from this project.

Support will be given to the creation of a periodic publication devoted to peace and reconciliation activities and designed for journalists, teachers, government officials and other opinion makers. Support will also be extended to the writing and design, production and dissemination of small books, pamphlets and posters emphasizing traditional and contemporary Mozambican experience in peace-making.

A small fund will be created to extend credit to small enterprises for media presentation of peace and reconciliation issues. A priority will be given to novel and creative ideas and to work done in rural areas and in national languages.

A major contribution will be made to the re-establishment of community radios, with an emphasis on participation of the community in the planning and actual broadcast of programmes. Since this includes a substantial contribution to sophisticated broadcast equipment, a sum of 50% has been added to the equipment costs in order to ensure long-term maintenance.

Research will supported for the study of the media's role in peace, including the effectiveness of the activities supported by this project, with recommendations for future improvements and additional activities.

Exchange activities of journalists for peace and with other initiatives of community radio will be promoted with other African and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Summary of Activities:

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