Séno: International Nelson Mandela Day commemorated at the Dori remand center

The regional directorate of human rights and the promotion of citizenship and peace of the Sahel organized on a delayed basis and in collaboration with the Dori remand and correction center, the day Nelson Mandela International, Saturday October 7, 2023.

The commemorative activities began with a solemn raising of the national flag within the grounds of the Dori penitentiary center, in the presence of the Secretary General of the Sahel region and all the bodies.

According to the regional director in charge of human rights and the promotion of citizenship and peace in the Sahel, Ali Maiga, this commemorative day aims to commune with the detainees and to pay tribute to former South African President Nelson Mandela who dedicated his entire life to the cause of people deprived of their liberty and all victims of discrimination, violations and abuses of human rights.

According to Mr. Maiga, the day will be punctuated by a guided tour of the places of detention of the Dori remand center, awareness raising on
themes related to the rights and duties of detainees, Nelson Mandela day, organization of board games, a community meal and an aerobics session.

For the Secretary General of the Sahel region, Abdoul Karim Zongo, it was on November 10, 2009 that UNESCO proclaimed the date of July 18 of each year as International Nelson Mandela Day. According to him, it is a day of tribute to the former South African president, Nelson Mandela, during which each citizen is invited to symbolically devote 67 minutes of their time to a civic work in memory of the 67 years whom Mandela dedicated to the fight for social justice, equal rights, reconciliation and cultural diversity.

Mr. Zongo added that as part of the humanization of prisons, the Dori remand and correctional center works to respect visiting rights, maintaining social ties, food, medical care, religious practices, development and professional training with a view to the social reintegration of prisoners.

He invited all administrative authorities and private actors wo
rking in the field of human rights to have greater consideration and solidarity with people deprived of their liberty.

He also urged the residents of the Dori remand and correctional center to assimilate the various lessons learned in the prison world, because they will allow them to strengthen their physical, moral and psychological capacities for their social reintegration

Source: Burkina Information Agency