MONUSCO interacts with the population in Haut Lomami to cultivate peace and non-violence

4 Dec 2017

MONUSCO interacts with the population in Haut Lomami to cultivate peace and non-violence

Kamina, 4th December 2017- Raising youth awareness of the culture of peace, tolerance and non-violence and preventing the manipulation of youth in the electoral time was the objective of the mega public concert on the culture of peace, tolerance and peaceful coexistence organized by MONUSCO Strategic Communication and Public Information office/Lubumbashi, in Kamina, in the Haut- Lomami province, 600 kilometers from Lubumbashi.

The interim chief of MONUSCO-Lubumbashi office, Mr. Komi Akpalou who led the delegation comprised of different sections to Kamina underscored that peace was the Mission’s pillar; the population should therefore be sensitized. 

The public concert organized on 2nd December around the theme: “Peace for All” was enlivened by a local group of highly renowned and famous artists. It was a one-off cultural event offered to the population of the new landlocked province is derived from the split up of the former Katanga province.

Thousands people showed up, all of them happy and cheering at MONUSCO’s initiative; some of them shedding tears of joy, cheering frenetically and others dancing without stopping. Shops nearby were all closed. The message conveyed to the population through playlets and music was quite clear: cultivate peace, tolerance and non-violence.! Artists also seized the opportunity to get this message across “Your province will not develop if you don’t live in peace among yourselves.”

Haut Lomami provincial officials, parliamentarians and dignitaries graced the concert with their presence. The Minister for culture reminded the population, mainly the young people present to always prioritize peace, in these terms ‘’we are a young province that needs peace to get developed.’’

Claiming to have understood the message of peace delivered to them, the population of Kamina made the commitment to preserve the peace and voiced their hope to see MONUSCO get closer to them through organizing similar activities in future.

Carine Tope