All Set for EAC Conference on Inter-Religious Collaboration for Regional Peace and Security: 16-20 June September 2014 in Kigali

Over 100 Religious and Faith-Based delegates from the Partner States to attend the four-day event

 

 More than 100 religious and faith-based delegates from the Partner States will attend a four-day conference organized by the East African Community(EAC) in Kigali, Republic of Rwanda 16-20 September 2014 to discuss inter-religious collaboration among different religions and faiths with view to promoting regional peace and security in the regional bloc.

“The main objective of the conference is to enhance the already existing commitment of religious leaders to collaborate in promoting peace and security in the region,” according to the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge.

He added that the desired outcome of the conference would be the establishment of an institutional framework to coordinate and facilitate the joint action of religious leaders in promoting peace and security in the region.

“The conference is the best opportunity to reflect not only threats and challenges the region faces, but also opportunities,”the EAC official said.

The delegates are expected to develop consensus on the core values that should guide the roles of religious communities in the matters of peace and security and also vis-a-vis the State for mutual existence, respect and development, among others.

The meeting follows recommendation made at the 2nd EAC Conference on Peace and Security in Bujumbura, Burundi in November 2013 to engage religious leaders through the Inter-Religious Councils (IRCs) of Partner States to focus specifically on the responsibilities and challenges that religious leaders have in the region.

The Bujumbura conference was attended by a wide range of political and civil society leaders, including religious leaders.

A follow-up meeting of a group of religious leaders was held in Mwanza, United Republic of Tanzania, in May 2014 and Bujumbura, Republic of  Burundi  in August 2014 and resolved for a conference of religious leaders to be held in Kigali, Rwanda.

The Kigali meeting is held  under the auspices of the EAC Secretariat and with support from the German Development Agency (GIZ).

The conference will be preceded by a four-day training of 15 selected senior journalists and editors from the Partner States on religious-sensitive reporting and enhancement of peace and security in the EAC Partner States.

The journalists will also have an opportunity to attend the opening and closing of the conference and give wide coverage.

The EAC Secretariat, since 2011, has been organizing a series of trainings for media practitioners in the Partner States on the regional integration process. Another training opportunity is set for Arusha between 20-24 September 2014 for film makers and documentarists. So far about 150 journalists, photo-journalists, photographers and editors have benefitted from the EAC-GIZ trainings.