Whitaker Peace And Development Initiative

TO HELP SOCIETIES IMPACTED BY CONFLICT TRANSFORM INTO SAFER AND MORE-PRODUCTIVE COMMUNITIES.

YOUTH PEACEMAKER NETWORK IN NORTHERN UGANDA: THE YOUTH PEACEMAKER NETWORK (YPN) NORTHERN UGANDA IS A PROGRAM AIMED AT FOSTERING LASTING PEACE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MAINLY IN THE ACHOLI SUBREGION AS WELL AS IN THE KIRYANDONGO REFUGEE SETTLEMENT AND ITS SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. THE YPN BRINGS TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS NORTHERN UGANDA WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO BE LEADERS IN PEACE-BUILDING AND ACT AS AGENTS OF POSITIVE CHANGE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. MOST OF THESE YOUTH STEM FROM VULNERABLE BACKGROUNDS: MANY YOUTH ENROLLED IN THE ACHOLI SUBREGION HAVE BEEN SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE PAST CONFLICTS AND MOST OF THE YOUTH IN THE KIRYANDONGO PROGRAM ARE REFUGEES. MODELED AFTER THE PROGRAM DEVELOPED BY WPDI IN SOUTH SUDAN, THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS THESE INDIVIDUALS SO THEY CAN STRENGTHEN THE PEACE-BUILDING CAPACITY AMONG PEERS AND WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE YPN CONTRIBUTES IN PARTICULAR TO CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION BY EQUIPPING YOUNG PEACEMAKERS WITH THE SOCIAL AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES NECESSARY TO PREVENT AND MITIGATE CONFLICT WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN UNDER THE PROGRAM INCLUDE WORKSHOPS, LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, ONE-ON-ONE BUSINESS TRAININGS, AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS A YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM TO ENGAGE HIGH-LEVEL DECISION-MAKERS WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE CONFLICT IN MUTUAL DIALOGUE.BECAUSE OF THE SEVERITY AND GLOBAL NATURE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE IMPACT ON THE ORGANIZATION'S BUSINESS COULD BE SIGNIFICANT AND HAVE A MATERIAL IMPACT ON ITS FINANCIAL POSITION AND OPERATING RESULTS. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY AND MANAGEMENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL FUTURE IMPACT ON ITS BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

YOUTH PEACEMAKER NETWORK (YPN) SOUTH SUDAN: YPN BRINGS TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS SOUTH SUDAN'S 10 STATES THAT ARE MOTIVATED TO BE LEADERS IN PEACE-BUILDING AND ACT AS AGENTS OF POSITIVE CHANGE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL STRENGTHEN THE PEACE-BUILDING CAPACITY AMONG PEERS AND WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION BY EQUIPPING YOUNG PEACEMAKERS WITH THE SOCIAL AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES NECESSARY TO MITIGATE CONFLICT WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS WILL INCLUDE WORKSHOPS, LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, ONE-ON-ONE BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS A YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM TO ENGAGE DECISION-MAKERS WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE CONFLICT IN MUTUAL DIALOGUE.

YOUTH PEACEMAKER NETWORK PROGRAM IN MEXICO: THE YOUTH PEACEMAKER NETWORK (YPN) MEXICO IS A PROGRAM AIMED AT FOSTERING LASTING PEACE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MAINLY IN TIJUANA AND CHIAPAS. THE YPN BRINGS TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO BE LEADERS IN PEACE-BUILDING AND ACT AS AGENTS OF POSITIVE CHANGE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. MOST OF THESE YOUTH STEM FROM VULNERABLE BACKGROUNDS: MANY YOUTH ENROLLED IN THE MEXICO PROGRAM ARE FROM INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES OR HAVE BEEN SEVERELY IMPACTED BY GANG RELATED VIOLENCE. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS THESE INDIVIDUALS SO THEY CAN STRENGTHEN THE PEACE-BUILDING CAPACITY AMONG PEERS AND WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE YPN CONTRIBUTES IN PARTICULAR TO CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION BY EQUIPPING YOUNG PEACEMAKERS WITH THE SOCIAL AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES NECESSARY TO PREVENT AND MITIGATE CONFLICT WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES.ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN UNDER THE PROGRAM INCLUDE WORKSHOPS, LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, ONE-ON-ONE BUSINESS TRAININGS, AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS A YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM TO ENGAGE HIGH-LEVEL DECISION-MAKERS WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE CONFLICT IN MUTUAL DIALOGUE.

HARMONIZER PROGRAM: THE HARMONIZER PROGRAM IS BOTH A DOMESTIC AND AN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM THAT AIMS TO ENCOURAGE SOCIAL CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION IN URBAN AREAS AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE. OPERATING IN AREAS MARKED BY DESTRUCTIVE CONFLICTS, THE PROGRAM DESIGNS AND IMPLEMENTSSTRATEGIES TO PROMOTE NON-VIOLENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND TO CHANGE THE SYSTEMATIC PATTERNS SHAPED AND IMPACTED BY CONFLICT. THE HARMONIZER PROGRAM IS ALSO DEDICATED TO ENABLING RESEARCHERS TO ENTER CONFLICT ZONES AND EVALUATE PATHWAYS TO PEACE BY STIMULATING ECONOMIC AND COMMUNAL GROWTH, WITH A FOCUS ON TROUBLED YOUTH IN VIOLENT AREAS.MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMS: THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPED AN EXPANSIVE PEACE-BUILDING CAMPAIGN THAT IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA, AND POP CULTURE. A MULTIFACETED MEDIA CAMPAIGN - DECLARE PEACE - IS AIMED AT BUILDING AWARENESS OF THE IMPACT OF VIOLENT CONFLICT AROUND THE WORLD. THE EFFORT ENCOMPASSES ADVERTISING, MUSIC, FILM, TELEVISION, PUBLIC ART, AND THEATRE. THE CAMPAIGN PLAYS ACROSS MULTIPLE CONTENT AND DISTRIBUTION PLATFORMS INCLUDING BROADCAST AND CABLE, WEB AND SOCIAL NETWORKS, MOBILE, AND LIVE EVENTS.THE YOUTH PEACEMAKER NETWORK SOUTH AFRICA: OUR AIM IS TO FOSTER THE PARTICIPATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE FROM VULNERABLE PLACES IN THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CIVIC LIFE OF THEIR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING THEM ASSETS THAT ARE BOTH INTANGIBLE - I.E. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION, ICTS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS WELL AS BACKSTOPPING AND MENTORING - AND TANGIBLE - I.E. RESOURCES TO UNDERTAKE PROJECTS WITH IMPACT IN TERMS OF LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PEACE, SOCIAL INCLUSION, EDUCATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT.IN 2021, THE WHITAKER PEACE & DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (WPDI) AND UNESCO ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP TO ROLL OUT A PROGRAM IN GABON, CAMEROON AND CHAD. THE PROJECT, ENTITLED "YOUNG PEOPLE, WEAVERS OF PEACE" ("LES JEUNES, TISSERANDS DE LA PAIX" IN FRENCH), AIMS TO CREATE A NETWORK OF 1,800 YOUNG LEADERS FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE CROSS-BORDER REGIONS OF THE THREE COUNTRIES. AMONG THEM, 750 YOUTHS WERE SPECIFICALLY ENROLLED ON A PROGRAM FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP LED AND IMPLEMENTED BY WPDI, ESPOUSING ITS TRIED AND TESTED BUSINESS BOOTCAMP PROGRAM. THE 750 YOUTHS ARE TO BE TRAINED AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE CROSS-BORDER REGIONS AND 16 GROUPS OF 10 YOUTHS WILL EVENTUALLY BE SUPPORTED TO CREATE 16 COOPERATIVE BUSINESSES ACROSS CAMEROON, CHAD AND GABON.