Togo-born Makouvia trains 600 Africans on peace concepts

A Togolese, Colonel Johaness Makouvia, has trained no fewer than 600 youth and women on peace concepts.

The training session which brought together leaders from Gabon and other African countries was themed: “Become a Peace Mediator in Gabon and Africa”.

Makouvia in a statement issued in Abuja Monday by his media advisor, Mr. Emmanuel Daudu, said the training session, which was anchored by his NGO MJPP, was organized by B-E SPACE, a Gabonese company specialising in communication and events.

Makouvia said: “Peace is not a concept, but an illusion. It is lived, felt, and observed in a very concrete way in everyday life. I am delighted that so many of you have responded to my invitation: this demonstrates once again the urgent need to reflect together on what peacekeeping can and must become a daily activity”.

On her part, the coordinator of the programme, Mrs. Grace M. Engoang, said: “Peace is not a utopia that we can aim at, but a concrete good that comes from God, and that we can contribute to building through our personal commitment and solidarity.

“This Peace Leader Training aims to share mediation tools and conflict management strategies with the participants.

Specifically, it is about sharpening the creativity of the beneficiaries to face all conflict situations as a mediator and to better understand the responsibilities of the mediator as an actor of conflict extinction. The training also took into account the conflict management plan, communication and finally mediation”.