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B. Songa: Address to Peace Summit 2023, Session VII-C
Written by Hon. Biyika Lawrence Songa, Member of Parliament, Uganda
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Address to Peace Summit 2023
May 2-5, 2023
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda, the Rt. Hon. Anita Among Annet, it is my honor to address this important gathering of the Peace Summit 2023 as one of the distinguished guests and Keynote Speakers.
First of all, I bring you warm greetings from Uganda “the Pearl of Africa.” In the near future please find time to visit and explore Uganda with its vast natural resources and tourist attractions.
The theme for this year’s Summit “Toward a World Culture of Peace” comes at the right time when the world is facing many conflicts and calamities that are negatively impacting and hindering world peace and development. These include:
The Covid 19 pandemic, Ebola, Malaria, Nodding syndrome and many others; Wars and conflicts including the Russia-Ukraine war and the ones in Sudan, DRC, Central Africa Republic, in the Sahel, Cameroon, Somalia; Also we continue to experience climate change challenges that are increasing energy poverty, creating famine, biodiversity loss, pollution and water scarcity among others.
All these are negatively impacting peaceful coexistence in the world and affecting economies, increasing poverty and retarding peace and development in the world especially in developing countries. This summit should attempt to address some of these challenges.
Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I will focus on one area -- homosexuality. In simple terms, homosexuality means a person who is sexually attracted to people of the same sex. It is a practice that has grown and is accepted in some parts of the world. I choose to speak about this at this time because my country of Uganda is under attack for resisting the cultural trend and for passing laws that prohibit the promotion and marketing of homosexuality.
Societies especially the ones in African have norms, beliefs and cultures that govern them for a better order. As Ugandans I take this opportunity to share this with the distinguished guests at this summit to raise a call to the different world leaders that one of the causes of world disorder that hinders world peace is trying to impose cultures of a particular society on another. It is against our African values and faith that we strongly hold dearly for people of the same sex to be in sexual relationships.
The Parliament of Uganda led by the Rt. Hon. Speaker Anita Among Annet, who I duly represent in this summit is in the process of passing a bill against homosexuality. I thank you for giving me this opportunity to address the world leaders at this summit and call on you to stand with us to respect our cultures, values, faiths, families and beliefs and hence request that Ugandans and Africans be allowed to live peacefully and not to discriminate them because of what they believe in.
In conclusion, why are some people forcing vegetarians to eat meat? The tension is being aggravated by proponents of homosexuality, commonly known as LGBTQIA+, trying to forcefully impose their culture and practices on others against the will of the majority. Then, the question is what is democracy if the minority is largely suppressing the majority position?
What are human rights? Wars are being caused by competition for mineral resources in Africa and most developing world and these wars result in the mass killing of innocent civilians; women and children, refugees and displaced persons. This is largely ignored. Is this not a human right issue? Why is it not a top human right issue on the world agenda?
I call upon the summit to appeal for efforts to address this global disorder that is increasing unnecessary tension and hindering world peace and prosperity. I thank you once again for this great opportunity and wish you a very successful Peace Summit 2023.
May God Bless you all.
To go to the Peace Summit 2023 Schedule page, click here.