THE WORLD PEACE PRAYER SOCIETY

THE GAMBIA CHAPTER

MINTEH KUNDA

25 TOUBA SANCHABA RD.

SANCHABA

KANIFING MUNICIPALITY

P.M.B 634, SERREKUNDA

THE GAMBIA

WEST AFRICA

TEL: (+220) 914 886

TEL/FAX: (+220) 460 791

Email: gambiaworldpeaceprayersociety@yahoo.com

Our Ref…WPPS-GC/LC/09/04

Your Ref………………………….. Date: September 15, 2004

WORLD PEACE PRAYER SOCIETY THE GAMBIA CHAPTER

MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH!

FACT SHEET

1. Organisational Profile:

WPPSGC is an acronym representing World Peace Prayer Society, The Gambia Chapter. WPPSGC is an affiliate/branch of WPPS (World Peace Prayer Society) and the Goi Peace Foundation, that is headquartered in Wassaic , New York , U.S.A. It is a voluntary, non-profit, non-governmental organisation involved in Active Non-violent Peace, development and international cooperation.

Since its inception in 1999, WPPSGC has promoted harmonious co-existence, development and international cooperation through participatory approach symbolized in its beliefs in the power of the simple but sincere prayer "May Peace Prevail On Earth!". WPPSGC received official recognition and full registration as a charitable NGO on May 21^st, 2001 at the Attorney General’s Chamber, Ministry of Justice in Banjul City . (Registered Charity Number 209/2001).

With multinational volunteers currently implementing and promoting the United Nations “International Decade on a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World 2001-2010” (UN General Assembly Resolution 36/67), WPPSGC – comprising mostly teachers and community development workers – works primarily with both students and out-of-school children / youth organisations and institutions in urban and rural communities. Also, it implements and promotes projects/programmes with CBOs (Community Based Organisations) / CSOs ( Civil Society Organisations), NGOS and international organizations/alliances, that base their projects/ programmes upon ANV peace building principles and methods.

2. Location: Minteh Kunda, 25 Touba Sanchaba Road , Sanchaba, Kanifing Municipality , The Gambia .

Telephone: (00220)-460791

Tele/fax: (00220)-460791

Email: gambiaworldpeaceprayersociety@yahoo.com

Mailing Address: P. M. B. 634 Serrekunda, The Gambia , West Africa .

3. Contact Person:

Emeka Ignatius Onyekwere

Tel: (00220) 914886

Position: Leader / Representative

4. Prayer and Message:

“May Peace Prevail On Earth!”

5.Aims and Objectives:

a. To raise peace consciousness among the people, through the

World Peace Prayer Message "MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH!"

b. To encourage young and old people to become peacemakers dedicated to living in the spirit of the words "MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH."

c. To foster a better understanding and greater respect for the diversity of our human family, knowing that we can all contribute to a more peaceful world, each of us in our own way.

d. To help in educating the young ones through Arts, Communication and Friendship.

e. To promote the language and culture of The Gambia in and outside the country through our Peace Pole projects, Peace Pal / Youth for Peace, and Peace Message programs.

f. To liaise and cooperate with the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the European Union and all other organizations of similar stature around the world, for the purpose of promoting peace and the brotherhood of the human race.

6.Organizational Structure:

The composition of the executive is as follows:

(a) The Leader as chairman.

(b) The Deputy Leader as vice chairman.

(d) Assistant Secretary General

(e) Financial Secretary

(f) Treasurer

(g) Publicity Secretary or P.R.O.

(h) Group / Community based Peace Coordinators

(i) Provost

7. Membership:

At the initial stage, the Chapter started with not more than 5 members in 1999.It now has 2,030(two thousand and thirty) active members throughout the country. Out of this number, about 70%are talented young people between the ages of 5-25 years. Membership is still open to all.

8. Achievement\Activities:

The Chapter has carried out a lot of activities and, subsequently, achieved much in The Gambia.

1999-2002.

The Chapter formally applied, and approval was given for its registration with the Government of The Gambia.
Distribution of Peace Gifts (stickers, hand flyers and desktop Peace Poles) in different parts of the country, bearing the message and prayer "May Peace Prevail on Earth!"
The appointment of 10 coordinators to serve in urban and rural communities.
Dedication and Planting of 1 wooden and 7 metallic Peace Poles in Kombo Saint Mary’s, North Bank, Central River, Lower River and Upper River Divisions.
Establishment of 10 Peace Pal Clubs in senior secondary schools, and 3 Peace Clubs in nursery and primary schools in the Kombo Saint Mary’s Division.
Establishment of 2 Youth for Peace Clubs in 2 churches and 3 local Youth for Peace Clubs in Bakoteh , Sukuta and Serrekunda.
Hosting of all Peace Pal / Youth for Peace Clubs, and other Peace- focused and Child Rights groups / organizations in a symposium entitled ‘Pathways to Peace and Stability in the West African Sub Region’ in the SOS.Hermann Gmeiner Assembly Hall.

2001-2003.

Establishment of 5 more Peace Pal Clubs in senior secondary schools, 2 in junior secondary and 3 in nursery and primary schools in different parts of the country.
Presentation of 1 Peace Pole ( commemoration of September 11 terrorist attacks) to the U.S.A. Embassy in The Gambia.
Appointment of the Mayor of Banjul as Peace Day Committee honorary chairperson:"100 Days of Peace".
Hosting of "De Buddy’s": a sensational teenage musical group from the Netherlands , (for 1 day) whilst they were touring The Gambia in their global campaign against in violence, discrimination and injustice in The SOS Hermann Gmeiner Assembly Hall.
Honoring and Celebration of the "100 Days of Peace"-June 13 to September 21,2003- through international as well as traditional Gambian peace education and peace building methods. This put an additional focus on UN’s International Day of Peace, as advocated by visionary congressman Dennis J.Kucinich.
Collaboration with the School of Metaphysics (based in Montana , U.S.A. ) by participating in the Dedication of the World’s First Peace Dome; and the synchronized Reading of the Covenant of Peace. This entailed a 2-day programme, wherein 2 Christian clergymen, 2 Muslim clerics and 1 Rastafarian priest led the assemblage in prayers.
Participation, alongside groups from both the public and private sectors, in an 11-kilometer march past against HIV\AIDS on December 1:World AIDS Day, which was organised by NAS (National Aids Secretariat) and K.M.C. (Kanifing Municipal Council).

Hosting of the Youth Ambassadors of Peace (YAP), The Gambia in a symposium entitled “Peace and conflict Resolution “
Inauguration of weekly “Making Peace where I live (MAPWIL)” meetings for Peace

Pal / Youth for Peace Clubs.

· Celebration of Peace Feast involving peace songs, poems and poster presentations

heightened by the cooking and sharing of “Ebeh” porridge, which

signifies Peace and Harmonious Co-existence.

January 2004 till Date

Implementation of weekly “Making Peace where I live (MAPWIL)” meetings for Peace Pal / Youth for Peace Clubs.
Organization of a symposium entitled “Making Peace and Non Violence Work in our time” hosted by the Saints ( St Joseph and St Augustine ’s Peace Pals /Youth for Peace Clubs) in the St Joseph ’s Multi-purpose Assembly Hall in Banjul City .

This ended with a Peace Pole Planting / Peace Garden Dedication

ceremony in the fore court of the school’s administrative Building.

Participation in the “Commemoration of the 10^th Anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide Conference” hosted by the African Union (AU), The Gambia.
Participation in a three-day “Capacity Building Training Workshop on collaborative Peacebuilding for Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s)” organized by West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), in The Gambia.
Participation in a five-day “Training of Trainer Workshop on Peace Education”

organized by West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), in

The Gambia

FUND RAISING.

WPPSGC is a member-supported organization. Members mainly support the activities of the chapter.

CONSTRAINTS.

As the Chapter’s membership comprises mostly volunteers that are teachers, social workers and students, the chapter is highly in need of funding and promotional materials to enable us to effectively implement our activities/ projects/programmes.

ADDENDUM:

Should you request photographs and reports of

activities/projects/programmes already implemented, we would be

gratified to send them to you.