INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR TOLERANCE 2022.

 

"Tolerance is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human."

UNESCO's 1995 Declaration of Principles on Tolerance

In 1996, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 51/95 proclaiming 16 November as International Day for Tolerance.

This action followed the adoption of a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance by UNESCO's Member States on 16 November 1995. Among other things, the Declaration affirms that tolerance is neither indulgence nor indifference. It is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe.

The goal is to generate public awareness and educate people on how to be more tolerant, celebrating the differences between cultures, nations, religions, and viewpoints. It aims to raise awareness of intolerance in the form of social exclusion and discrimination, such as bigotry, stereotyping, stigmatization, and other individual expressions that are still prevalent today.

Intolerance is closely linked to an exaggerated sense of self-worth and pride, whether personal, national, or religious. Considerable efforts need to be made to educate people about tolerance, human rights about other ways of life.

"Tolerance is much more than passively accepting the other. It brings obligations to act and must be taught, nurtured, and defended. Tolerance requires investment by States in people and in the fulfillment of their full potential through education, inclusion, and opportunities. This means building societies founded on respect for human rights, where fear, distrust, and marginalization are supplanted by pluralism, participation, and respect for differences."

- Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon

We are all part of the solution.

#InternationalDayForTolerance

A BRIEF PERSONAL BACKGROUND OF MR. ENOBONG EKWERE ( PEACE ADVOCATE) IN NIGERIA.

Comrade Enobong Ekwere is a social influencer, blogger, vlogger, human rights activist, peace practitioner, grassroot social mobilizer, SDGs advocate and a global citizen. He is the program manager of children and young people living for peace (CYPLP), an organic, volunteer of experts, youth focused and a think-tank non-governmental organization based in Kaduna state, Nigeria. A Higher National Diploma (HND) graduate of Public Administration (Upper Credit) from the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, Nigeria. Enobong Ekwere holds a proficiency certificate in management from the Nigerian Institute of Management, Chartered (NIM) Lagos, Nigeria. He is also a graduate member of the institute (Associate member in view). He works with young people in local communities across Nigeria localizing the sustainable development goals (SDGs)  (SDG16+ SDG4 and SDG5 in particular) and positive peace frameworks in Nigeria, accelerating action online and offline, engaging duty bearers and policy makers to be accountable for it's implementation by 2030. He is a strong advocate of peace, good governance and democracy, accountability in government, freedom of information, freedom of expression, access to information, free press, social justice and social inclusion. As a youth advocate and a global leader who loves to see social reforms in the society, he uses his personalized blog to write compelling stories on developmental and topical issues on national and global concern that shapes and transform people's lives and impact the larger society for knowledge transfer and lifelong learning. He engages in community service and volunteerism, community outreach, social mobilization and advocacy tours to hard to reach local communities in Nigeria advocating and advancing the cause of the SDGs (SDG16+ SDG4 and SDG5 in particular) so that no community and youth in Kaduna state and Nigeria at large would be left behind. CYPLP as an organization works primarily in serving vulnerable population of children, youth, elderly persons, people living with disabilities (PLWD's) and women in unserved, underserved, underrepresented and marginalized local communities in Nigeria.

My areas of competence in peace education and peace building process includes;

1. Conflict mapping, sensitivity and analysis

2. Negotiation, mediation and reconciliation

3. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue

4. Protection of civilians

5. Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR)

6. Security sector reforms (SSR)

7. Mainstreaming gender in peace keeping

8. Mainstreaming gender in peace and state building

9. Crisis management/resolution

10. Media and conflict

11. Conflict and natural resources

12. Conflict prevention

13. Peace support operations (PSOs)

14. Post- conflict reconstruction and development

15. Humanitarian action

16. Transnational organized crime

17. Piracy and maritime security

18. Preventing violent extremism (PVE) etc.

Enobong Ekwere has an extensive professional working experience in projects such as;

1. PRELT (Prevention of radicalization and extremism leading to terrorism)

2. BRAVE (Building resilience against violent extremism)

3. iDOVE (Interfaith dialogue on violent extremism) in local communities across Kaduna state and Nigeria at large.

I have initiated two projects to counter religious and violent extremism among the youths in local communities in Nigeria, and one empowerment program, these are;

1. CAARE ( Countering Attitudes Against Religious Extremism)

2. CAAVE (Countering Attitudes Against Violent Extremism)

3. NEET (Not in Education, Empowerment or Training) an empowerment training program aimed at training vulnerable population of young people in local communities in Nigeria with leadership skills, entrepreneurial and vocational skills acquisition.

He can be reached via:

Tel/WhatsApp: +2347082558952

Email: julyenobong2020@gmail.com

            : enobongekwere825@gmail.com

MY PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:

FACEBOOK: 

https://www.facebook.com/enobong.ekwere.372

TWITTER: 

http://www.twitter.com/Enobongekwere2

INSTAGRAM: 

http://www.instagram.com/enobongekwere825

LINKEDIN: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/enobong-ekwere-3271b116b

MY ORGANIZATION'S SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:

FACEBOOK: 

https://www.facebook.com/cyplp.net.ng/

TWITTER: 

http://www.twitter.com/youngpeoplefor/

INSTAGRAM: 

http://www.instagram.com/cyplp/

WEBSITE: 

www.cyplp.net.ng

VOLUNTEER - INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (IHRC) GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.