Connecting Africa: Promoting Education For Peace Through Art

A JOINT PROJECT BETWEEN InSEA and NEPAD

InSEA coordinator: Vice President Samia ElShaik

The African Union (AU) envisions a “… peaceful and prosperous Africa, integrated and led by its own citizens…” This quotation marks the importance of peace as a priority to prosperity.
The AU Common African Position (CAP) on the development programme post 2015 is based on the following seven (7) pillars that meet the aspirations of the African people:
1. Structural Economic Transformation and Inclusive Growth
2. Science, Technology and Innovation
3. People-oriented Development
4. Environmental Sustainability
5. Natural Resource, Risk and Disaster Management
6. Peace and Security
7. Funding and Partnerships
Here again, Peace also features as one of the aspirations of African people.
The Strategy Objective (SOIO) of the AU Continental Education Strategy For Africa (CESA, 2016-2025) has as its focus to Promote Peace Education and Conflict Prevention and Resolution At All Levels of Education and for All Age Groups. This could be done by capitalizing on ongoing innovative peace building experiences in various African countries and networks and disseminate lessons learned. We need innovative and creative interventions for building Peace in Africa.
Aspiration 4, of Agenda 2063 focus on “…A culture of peace and, tolerance shall be nurtured in African children and youth through peace education.” From the above quotations, Peace is at the core and is emphasized. Education and peace should be the cornerstone for development in Africa.
Guided by the above Aspirations, NEPAD in collaboration with the International Society for Education Through Art (InSEA) are embarking on a Continental Project, Connecting Africa: Promoting Education For Peace Through Art.
This Project is a call to African institutions, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, community based organisations, youth formations, teacher organisations and women’s organisations to participate in advocating for a lasting peace in the Continent.

Aim: The major aim of this Project is Education For Peace through Art in Africa. The second aim is to advocate for Peace in Africa through art.

Purpose
1. To motivate artists throughout Africa to advocate for peace through their own artworks.
2. To establish a network of African artists with a focus on Peace for development in Africa.
Methodology
1. A patchwork will be developed by artists in their own country.
2. Artists and educators will share their artistic techniques, such as printing, dying, weaving, embroidery, applique and painting.
3. When such a collective artistic work has been completed it has to be sent to the Coordinator of the Project; Prof. Samia ElSheikh, Prof. of Weaving, Faculty of Art Education, Helwan University, Mobile number: +201 0000 611 88.
4. Each piece should be a fabricated art on A3 size. Each country can participate with more than one piece.
5. Each piece should have at the back:
a. Names of artists
b. Institution or Organisation, country, city (if applicable)
c. Date the artwork is completed
6. All the Artwork will be coordinated by the Coordinator.
7. The Patchwork will be presented to Workshops, Congresses and Conferences of Culture and Education.

We look forward to receiving your contribution.
Through Art we could be the catalysts for change where Peace becomes a reality in the Africa we want.

April 2018

Squares of fabric with embroideries; thai dai ; silk sreen, and other techniques are now beeing gathered all around Africa by Vice President Samia El Shaik . A workshop was conducted in Cairo congress April 2nd, to make a first collection of the Peace Patchwork of Africa, with works from Egypt ; Lybia; Namibia, Nigeria and Zambia. Other works will join in Walvis Bay, Namibia end October.