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FG commemorates World Peace Day

Sep 27, 2010, 1:58 PM | Article By: Lamin B. Darboe

Family Gambia, a Lamin Sanchaba-based NGO, on 21 September joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Peace Day at Lamin village in Western Region.

The commemoration was punctuated with a march-past led by Scout band and other voluntary organizations starting from Lamin NTC to St Peter's Lower Basic School.

The theme for the occasion was "Gambians Keep Your Peace in Order to Maintain the Culture of Peace the World Over".

In his address to the celebrants, the International Coordinator of Family Gambia (FG), Patrick S. Nagbe, appealed to the UN to work towards a more unique resolution for peace in the East African region in particular and the world at large.

By adopting the strategies used in the West African sub-region with technical assistant from AU, ECOWAS, the UK and the US, Mr Nagbe said UN will be in a position to maintain a uniform or overall pattern for all regions through UNESCO - its body responsible for education, and other agencies to help cultivate the culture of peace by means of education.

"Family Gambia will continue to work towards the culture of peace and non-violence by sensitising and educating the children, the youth, women and the general populace in particular, by working with media houses, schools, communities and public offices," he told the gathering.

For her part, the board chair lady of Family Gambia, Marie Joh Cassama, spoke on the history of the FG, saying the organization started in Liberia after its members had received some training from the UNHCR.

She said FG worked with the communities in Liberia by organising community workshops and educating people in peaceful living, alongside the Children Welfare Programme (CWP), a body that caters for the emotional and educational needs of children, youth and women.

Few years later, she continued, they moved to Sierra Leone and formed Family Sierra Leone before coming to The Gambia to form Family Gambia, Peace Education Leaflets (PEARL) and Children Welfare Programme (CWP), which is now working with children, youth and women.

The Gambia’s Paramount Chief Alhagie Demba Sanyang, FG administrator Fatou Sanyang, and Aja Fatou Fullanding Nyang Mballow Ceesay also spoke at the occasion.