November 7-9, 2013
Abuja, Nigeria
Theme: “Moral and Innovative Leadership: Building Sustainable Peace for a Prosperous Future”
Dear Friends,
I am glad to share these thoughts with you.
Yes, as our theme says, moral and innovative leadership are critical for the building of a peace that is sustainable and long term.
We seek Peace at various levels, from individuals to families, communities, groups, and governments. We seek to solve and heal armed and unarmed conflict.
In our world, many agreements are made to heal conflict and war. Some agreements hold while others breakdown. There is a missing factor which should be effective and sustain moral and innovative leadership.
There is thus, the great need for sustained conflict resolution and peace building. This requires refining ourselves for effective leadership in various fields and approaches.
The challenge of sustainable conflict resolution and peace building is not only about Africa, it is a worldwide problem. In the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and Asia, we still have conflict that has taken ling to be healed.
Recent events in Syria and the Middle East will have great effects not only on the region, but also on the rest of us in the whole world. For the world is one. What happens in one part affects everyone else in the present and future.
Worldwide, we still have internal unarmed conflict amongst various grouping and societies.
Thus, I believe the Global Peace Forum and this event in Abuja are critical efforts towards sustainable resolution of conflict and building of a peace that holds.
Love and Peace go together. We must love God and God’s Creation. We must love our neighbor as our self. That neighbor is one who may appear to be of another color, age, ethnic group, culture, religion and faith, or economic situation.
That neighbor may be male or female. That neighbor may be living with disability. Our neighbor is in various situations. That neighbor is our Brother, our Sister. Yes, under God we are One Family!
We must increase our practices of service. I believe that, working with the Global Peace Foundation, other institutions, and persons of Good Will all over the world, we in the African Leadership Mission shall help to find the experience and skills required to move various conflicts towards long term resolution and harmony.
We need the participation of various persons and groups. We must systematically involve persons of various colors, ages, ethnic grouping, cultures, religion and faith, origin , and economic situations. We must have active involvement of females and young persons, now must involve persons living with disability. We must All participate!
Already, as might be discussed in some sessions at Abuja, women and young persons have not just been major victims of conflict, but have also actively participated in solving and building of peace.
As you deliberate at Abuja now, please explore issues and ways that will effectively help peace building. Leave Abuja with inspiration and action to heal this world! The peace of our world lies within our hearts and our actions. The time for action is NOW!
I know if my Father was here today, he would have sung one of his favorite songs – TIYENDE PAMODZI, which when translated into English means “LETS WALK TOGETHER WITH ONE HEART.” We dedicate this song to this conference!
I THANK YOU!