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International Day of Peace in Northern Uganda

The United Religions Initiative–Great Lakes office together with Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative CC, Youth Interfaith Partnership CC, Latter Glory of Religions in Busoga CC and Youth Interfaith Mission Uganda CC participated in the IDP National celebrations in Gulu district in northern Uganda.  Messages of good will from the URI Executive Director Charles Gibbs and the Chairperson of the Religious NGOs at the UN Monica Willard were shared during the celebrations.

The celebrations which started on Saturday with several events through the entire region climaxed at the Kenneth Kaunda Recreational grounds with a peace walk.

This was a memorable day for the residents of Gulu town and Acholi region who had been in conflict for the last 21 years under the lord’s resistance army (LRA) rebellion against the government of Uganda

Present among our membership was Archbishop Odama, Bishop Ocholla, Sheik Khalil Musa , Rev, Patrick Lumumba and other distinguished Religious leaders who joined in the peace walk procession to Kaunda grounds  Where the main celebrations were being held.

The walk was flagged off by Bishop Odama and graced with the presence of thousands of school going children from the whole of the acholi sub region ,University students, youths from the different civil society organizations, staff from  non government organizations that’s are working on peace recovery in northern Uganda and the general public

The minster for disaster preparedness in the office of the prime minster Musa Echweru presided over the celebrations at Kaunda grounds

He highlighted on the theme of the celebrations and urged all people present to embrace the peace that has been brought by the government of Uganda.  Religious leaders on the other hand called for all citizens to work for peace and also address the prevailing issues like land wrangles that are threatening to tear the communities apart. They said that land belongs to God and therefore every person has a right to it and not for just a few individuals.  The long stay in the camps and eventual return of war returnees and those from the camps coupled with land give away to foreign investors are some of the challenges that are grappling the region with land tenure-ship.

Creation of employment for the youths from the internally displaced camps with a major issue discussed.  The community and religious leaders thanked government for setting aside money for educating the youths in entrepreneurial skills which is geared at making the youths to be job creators thereby cutting on the unemployment gap.

Other events included painting competition by children affected by conflict in northern Uganda.