Nairobi, Kenya - Hundreds of young leaders and professionals from all over Africa and the world converged on the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya on March 20 to launch a movement of Young Ambassadors for Peace and to gain the knowledge and tools to successfully build peace and achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.
Speakers included:
Mrs. Ida Odinga, Wife of Prime Minister Raila OdingaDr. PLO Lumumba, Founder of PLO Lumumba Foundation, Kenya
Mr. Martin Luther King, III, Founder and CEO of Realizing the Dream, Inc.
Sir James Mancham, Founding President of Seychelles
Professor Helen Sambili, Kenya’s Minister of Youth and Sports
Mr. Michael Marshall, Editor in Chief of United Press International
Mr. Philbert Seka, Director of Service for Peace Africa
Mr. David Caprara, Executive Vice President, Youth Federation for World Peace
Attendees included:
Hon. Jimmy Akena, Member of Parliament from the Lira Municipality, Uganda
Hon. Aziza Ali and Hon. Mohammed Dewji, Members of Parliament, Tanzania
Hon. Hafsa Mossi, Government Minister, Regional Integration and East African Community Affairs, Burundi
Four representatives from King Abdullah II’s Fund for Development, Jordan
Dominique Kambetch Diaman, Vice Chair, National Youth Council, DR Congo
Mr. Steve Itela, Executive Director, Youth for Conservation, Kenya
Ten representatives from the NextGen Academy, USA
Mr. Vincent Rapando, President of Junior Chamber International-Nairobi Central
The International Young Leaders Summit built on the successful Global Peace Festival that Prime Minister Raila Odinga welcomed to Kenya last August, at which over 10,000 people joined together to support the vision of peace and prosperity for all tribes and to participate in service through a massive Nairobi River clean-up project.
This summit had a strong focus on Kenyan unity, “Kenya We Want,” and new Nairobi River tree-planting projects. An open invitation was extended to the public to participate in the planting projects on March 21. One project took place near the Global Roundabout towards the National Museum and another near Pindolia Academy (Nairobi West) towards Mombasa Road.
Note: For reports of UPF activities in Kenya click here.