The third iteration of the ‘Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace’ came to a conclusion on the 24th of November, following a successful three day stint in Angola. The forum included the famed Biennale of Luanda, where key African figures convened and gave their insight on peacekeeping, stability, and culture on the African continent.
Foremost among these attendees was Malawi’s former president, Joyce Banda, whose appreciation for the peacebuilding steps taken by the host country, Angola, was made abundantly clear. She commended Angola’s adept handling of the event, stating their familiarity and experience with conflict made them uniquely suited to the task.
“We stand at a point where we are morally compelled to uphold peace on the continent of Africa,” Banda stated. “However, this obligation must be led by those nations who have experienced conflict firsthand. Angola knows the price of peace, and for that reason, Africa stands by President Lourenço.”
It’s worth recalling that Angola, under President Joao Lourenço’s leadership, has taken pivotal steps in negotiating resolutions for various conflicts on the continent. Notably, last year, Angola facilitated diplomatic discussions between the leaders of the DR Congo and Rwanda.
Further emphasising on the crux of her message, Banda highlighted the crucial roles the African Union (AU) must play to ensure the sustenance of peace and stability across the continent.
“All African leaders, whether current or past, should stand in unison. We’ve exerted significant effort to build our respective democracies, in some cases, however, these democracies remain vulnerable. These hard-earned gains must be safeguarded diligently,” Banda asserted.
The former Malawian president insisted that the AU should take initiative to address situations that might compromise the stability of the democracies across Africa, she added, “I stress upon the need for institutions like the African Union to be vigilant. They need to identify, and proactively address all the possible setbacks that might deviate us from these cherished democratic processes that we’ve worked hard to build.”
The Biennale of Luanda, a major feature of the forum, was organised by the Government of Angola, the African Union (AU), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The key theme for this year’s forum was “Education, culture of peace and African citizenship as tools for the sustainable development of the continent”. The topics brought to discussion were meant to deepen the shared understanding and commitment to building resilient and sustainable cultures of peace on the continent; a message clearly resonated well with the attendees. This event undeniably highlights the commitment of African leaders and institutions to fostering a culture of peace and stability across the continent.
