UNOCI's Public Information Officer based in Bondoukou, Desire Ndagijimana said a culture of peace makes it possible to preempt potential conflict and contributes to the restoration of peace and confidence among people just emerging from a war. He added that this culture of peace goes beyond situations of armed conflict and extends to schools, the workplace, families and so forth.
How to achieve real reconciliation is a challenge requiring the building of a lasting peace, examining, understanding and going beyond the painful past is about the best way to guarantee that such conflicts do not repeat themselves," he added.
Reconciliation, he continued, is not only a process but a state of mind. It implies a change of attitude and consideration for the adversary, it means a change of language because it is often language which fuels and amplifies hatred and violence.
The president of the NGO Diabo Kouakou Elvice made an edifying revelation that as a former activist of the Federation Estudiantine de Côte d'ivoire (FESCI) student movement, "I have abandoned violence and accepted to go along with reconciliation. He urged participants to cultivate the values propounded by the organizers of the sensitization campaign which also included a debate between the speaker and the youths.
Some 200 youths took part in the activities of the Days of Hope which began on 18 January and is expected to go on until 15 February in Bondoukou, 416 km north-east of Abidjan.
