Accra, Ghana - One Sunday morning, I received a call from Mr. Titus Jawol, CEO of Global Youth Network, an NGO whose aims and objectives are to promote peace by bringing together tertiary and secondary students to dialogue and bring reconciliation especially within the Northern Sector of Ghana (a conflict-prone zone). This led to an invitation to participate in the Peace and Reconciliation Process in the Northern Sector and establish UPF in the private universities in Ghana.
Mr. Jawol had told me that my phone number appeared (under the Women’s Federation for World Peace) in the Regional Directory of NGOs operating in Ghana. We scheduled a meeting for September 6.
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He came down to Accra with the National Secretary of his NGO, Mr. Jeremiah Salifu, who had just graduated from All Nations University College, Koforiduah and has been appointed the National President of Private Universities Students Association of Ghana.
During the meeting, I presented a video of the Universal Peace Federation's work. After exchanging ideas they ended up indicating interest for collaboration with UPF.
Activity plans took off immediately. Mr. Jawol is tasked with organizing educational programs for the youth in the Northern Sector, while Mr. Salifu is to develop programs for university students. UPF will provide educational materials.
On the UN International Day of Peace on September 21, Mr. Jawol and his Secretary were invited to the event. As we closed our meeting, two invitations were handed to me: (1) to participate in the first Senate meeting of the Private Universities Students Association of Ghana, and (2) to participate in the signing of “Youth Peace and Reconciliation Agreement” organized by the Global Youth Network. That event was scheduled for October 27.
At Valley View University, Ghana’s premier chartered private university, a PowerPoint presentation was made on October 5 about the Mission and Vision of UPF before the Senate Executives from 17 private universities. They were so moved that there was a consensus that UPF be established in all private universities in Ghana. The plan towards this goal is ongoing.
For the October 27 event, UPF was invited as a witness to the signing of the Peace and Reconciliation document involving five fighting ethnic groups in the Northern Sector, and the Secretary General was the Keynote Speaker.
In the morning of October 27, the UPF Secretary General presented a lecture to over 500 students at a Business College in Accra titled: “New Viewpoint on Sex Education.” This was organized by the Women’s Federation for World Peace. Japanese women from the women's Federation for World Peace presented a scholar to one outstanding student.