Par Bereket Alemayehu
On the 2nd October, commemorated the International day of Non-Violence worldwide, was launched the African Campaign for Education of Non-violence in Ethiopia, with the main purpose of training a new generation of Ethiopians to the culture of peace and non-violence.
The Ethiopian campaign team started the 100 km journey to launch this campaign in a school community called Excel Academy, in Adama town – located in the starting edge point of the great Ethiopian rift valley and becoming one of the fastest growing cities for tourism in Ethiopia.
The program for the education of non-violence campaign started by a welcoming speech given by the Academy board director, appreciating the willingness of team to visit the school community, thereafter, the Ethiopian campaign coordinator, Bereket Alemayehu, expressed the importance of peace and non-violence in any school system of the world, remarking this special day as an International day of the girl in Ethiopia and as well, the day of the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize winner.
After the overture speeches, some cultural activities were taken place and in between, as a guest of honour, Dr. Yiheyis Feleke, assistance professor at Addis Ababa University, presented the importance of peace at early stage and that the students should continue sharing their experiences in their schools and communities.
Very interesting was the presentation of the student Malika Manuel Dawit, from New English Private School on the topic of Non-violence, symbolically figuring the great sage of India Mohandas Gandhi, she read “…he created Satyagraha, his philosophy of resistance through non-violent civil disobedience, which in turn influenced a future generation of freedom fighters such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela to fight for freedom no matter what the cost as long as it was non-violent.”
The last but not the least, the main program of the day was the opening the Peace Pals International Art Exhibition, which is the Ambassador of Peace Collection, characterizing the artwork of youth from each of the 83 countries who have submitted their creations over the years.
As an important mark, more than 400 students, teachers and community representatives for the non-violence education could participate in opening of the African Campaign for Education of Non-violence in Ethiopia.
