Becoming a Peace Champion: Story of Solomon Mark
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by
cecore
My name is Solomon Mark, a member of the Saint Daniel Tailoring Youth Group in Lomogi Sub County. I would like to share a brief story about the achievements I have gained from the Peace Building and Conflict Transformation training organized by CECORE (Center for Conflict Resolution) In Amuru District.
Growing up as a youth in Northern Uganda, we were deeply affected by the Kwanese war, which left many negative impacts. Before this training, I did not clearly understand what peace, violence, or conflict truly meant. I was unaware of many forms of conflict that existed around us.
When I joined the Peace Building and Conflict transformation training by CECORE, my perspective changed completely. I was able to understand the meaning of peace, the nature of violence, and the causes of conflict. I realized that peace is the foundation of development and that we must all work hard to ensure it thrives in our communities, districts, and the entire country.
I have also learned to identify different types of conflict such as school dropout, domestic violence, and divorce and their root causes, including poverty, unemployment, and misunderstandings. For example, unemployment not only affects an individual’s life but also fuels frustration that can destabilize entire communities.
The training taught me both the effects of conflict such as hatred, violence, and even death and the solutions we can apply to address them. These include negotiation, which brings conflicting parties together to talk and find common ground, and mediation, where a neutral third party helps disputing groups find peaceful solutions. I also learned to analyse conflict, understand the underlying issues and applying the right tools to prevent escalation.
Through these skills, I now believe I can contribute to building peace in my community. I see myself as a peace champion in our district. With the knowledge gained from CECORE, I am committed to working with fellow youth to fight against conflict and build harmony.
I would like to sincerely thank CECORE for equipping us with this knowledge. I am confident that through what I have learned, I will not only change myself but also share these lessons to help transform my community.
Together, we can build peace.
