The participants were drawn from the project intervention communities of the organisation namely; Sintet, Jambur, Bafuloto and Makumbaya.
The goal is to equip participants with requisite skills and knowledge to translate the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP) into culturally resonant songs.
Speaking on the occasion, Omar Bojang, Imam of Jambur, who also doubles as the Chairman of the Badinbung facilitators for the West Coast and North Bank Regions, underscored the importance of the training.
He encouraged participants to approach the workshop with pride, acknowledging their vital roles as traditional communicators in their communities in promoting peace and social cohesion.
Also speaking, Nba Adama Tuti Bojang, a trained facilitator from Jambur, reiterated the significance of the Badinbung initiative, which she said, resonates deeply with African traditional justice mechanisms.
She urged the participants to share the training’s messages with their respective communities.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Nfamara Jawneh, Executive Director of Beakanyang expressed gratitude to the African Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF), the African Union (AU), and the European Union (EU) for their support to the overall Badinbung project of the organisation.
He equally lauded the participants for dedicating their time to this important initiative, emphasising their critical role in spreading messages through their melodious songs, theatre, and dance.
He disclosed that in the coming weeks, the trained participants would help the organisation in its community sensitisation activities aimed at popularising the AU Transitional Justice Policy.
Mr Jawneh guided participants through the process of creating, composing and finalising songs and also dramatised some of the conflict resolutions mechanisms based on the AUTJP.
His practical exercises enabled participants to turn policy elements into engaging and memorable melodies, reinforcing their role as cultural advocates.
At the conclusion of the training, both Mr. Jawneh and Imam Omar Bojang urged participants to put the knowledge and skills they had acquired into good use.
They emphasised the importance of leveraging this training to promote social harmony and justice in their respective communities.
Delivering the vote of thanks, Mrs. Sira Sowe of Foni Sintet, expressed gratitude to Beakanyang for empowering them with new knowledge and skills.
She reaffirmed their commitment to popularising the AU Transitional Justice Policy in their respective communities in the coming days and weeks.
This transformative training, she added, demonstrated the power of traditional communicators in amplifying policy messages, leveraging cultural expression to promote awareness and harmony.
‘It marked yet another milestone in the implementation of the Badinbung initiative, solidifying its alignment with Africa's rich heritage of transitional justice.’
