Uganda

Please provide us with your views on the state of peace in the country you will represent at the One Young World Summit.

Apart from the 2010 bombings that claimed about 74 lives, Uganda has generally been safe from external violent attacks from terrorists or other extremists.

However internally the country is a potential victim to violence and insecurities based on various reasons ranging from tribal differences, unemployment and more. We have experienced various outbursts of violence like the Kasese killings, where over 87 people died in two days during a military assault on the palace of the region’s cultural institution, and the uninvestigated murders of 12 Muslim leaders and other important personalities. The once peaceful streets have rapidly turned into deathbeds by the unemployed young people who kill their victims after robbing them of cell phones, money and sometimes victims are raped.

There is also a lot of non-violent oppression based on tribe and religion in terms of resource-sharing, employment and social spaces, which often is the reason behind violent outbursts.

How do you think your work and/or activism contribute to a sustainable peace?

My work with the Sophie Muwanika Institute of Art for Change focuses on building inner peace, focusing on an individual state of peace fostering forgiveness, reconciliation within oneself and eventually individuals share this state of peace with the communities. We believe peace can only be achieved by individuals at peace with themselves. By using a methodology of theatre and storytelling for peace and reconciliation people share their personal stories of trauma, resilience and ways forward. Our work focuses on healing through providing informal ways of psycho-social support, building resilience and creating a movement of peaceful individuals who, through sharing and hearing other people’s stories, bring back peace to their communities and thus empower individuals in leading and fostering peace in their own communities.