This project was a collaboration between the Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB) and the Community Peace Museums Heritage Foundation (CPMHF) and was funded through the Creative Force Programme: Swedish Institute. The Creative Force programme provides funding for collaborative initiatives promoting human rights, transparency and democracy with the aid of initiatives that use either culture or the media as a method for achieving change.
‘Youth for Peace’ will engage young people in creative activities to promote traditional African cultures of peaceful coexistence and diversity. It will skill young people in artistic and creative expressions of democracy and strengthen the network of peace museums and peace clubs through Kenya.
Target Groups
- Young people, women & elders
- Also, to strengthen CPMF
Project Main Activities
The projects will work with young people in peace clubs to produce films and photography exhibitions about peace cultures, youth conference & exhibition, production of heritage-based peace resources.
- A series of short creative media-based products on heritage and peace building (films, photographs, radio-interviews, on-line publications, You Tube)
- Increased membership and activity of peace clubs in target areas
- Oral history and knowledge of elders documented and used to form peace and learning materials
- Stronger and larger network of community peace museums – including those in isolated rural areas
- A stronger culture of peace in communities – with active civil society based peace building
- The first ever ‘youth for peace’ conference in Kenya
Project Specific Objectives
- to spread a culture of African peace traditions through media based creative projects
- to enhance creative skills of young people involved in community museum peace clubs
- to support intergenerational dialogue and respect by creatively connecting youth and elders
- to create safe spaces for discussion of difficult issues relating to gender equality and the position of women
- to strengthen and expand the Community Peace Museums Foundation’s profile, capacity and interconnectedness as an agent of heritage and peacebuilding
- to foster a movement of young peace makers
- to share results and lesson learned at a ‘youth for peace’ conference – showcasing the results and strengthening ties across ethnic groups of young people in Kenya
Project Results
- Youth given a platform and skills to discuss contemporary issues creatively and artistically
- Better equality and integration of women within civil society
- Cultural rights and freedom of expression exercised for democratic enhancement
- Culture and heritage shown as an alternative to violence and division
- The status of African peace cultures raised to a higher level of consciousness and impact
- Creation of a group of young people working creatively for a more peaceful, democratic Kenya through heritage and cultural expression