GYAC: represented in youth peacebuilding training in Hiroshima, Japan!

[Joseph Mansilla]

 

 

Hi friends! I just came back from a youth peacebuilding training in Hiroshima, Japan and I am happy to report that GYAC, as a network that has welcomed my advocacy for peace through social accountability, was very well received in Japan and the word about us is now out to the big world of peacebuilding!!

 

Coming from Mindanao, the site of the long-standing armed conflict between Muslim insurgents and the Philippine government, I couldn't help but feel passionate about peacebuilding in my home region, especially in today's time of mobile activism and citizen journalism. My learnings from the 14th IACC in Bangkok are still fresh and I made sure to share the new knowledge I acquired on anti-corruption struggles in postwar recovery situations, which was the topic of one of the workshops I attended at the conference. These, in turn, were complemented with stories of Hiroshima. Japan, as you know, is doing quite well in the transparency arena (it's #17 in the 2010 CPI), and I think their experience of peace recovery is an important illustration of the stark correlation between peace and transparency/accountability.

 

All these new knowledge would be in vain if I didn't apply and share them. This is why I am soon organizing a youth summit on the themes of mobile activism and citizen journalism that will target students and out-of-school youths. The focus, certainly, will be on social accountability and peace advocacy.

 

I hope to join you in Nairobi for the more detailed report of my peacebuilding training, which I am still in the process of writing and organizing. To those who haven't submitted their applications yet, please don't fail to do so before the deadline, which has been extended up to next Tuesday! And while you're at it, please help spread the word about Fair Play Anti-Corruption Music Competition!

 

Cheers!

 

From Midsayap, Philippines and together against corruption,

 

Joseph