Ouahigouya – In a proactive move to combat rising concerns of violent extremism, Ouahigouya is hosting a regional advocacy workshop focusing on equipping young people and women with prevention techniques. This event, part of the “Prevention of Radicalization and Violent Extremism (PREVI)” project, aims to address the growing tensions affecting social cohesion in Burkina Faso.

According to Burkina Information Agency, which is organizing this workshop on November 14 and 15, 2023, the initiative is a response to the ethnic and religious stigmatization and inter-community conflicts evident in the country. The workshop’s goal is to fortify interreligious dialogue and prevent further degradation of social harmony.

Participants, including youth and women from the provinces of Bam, Zondoma, Yatenga, and Loroum, will engage in discussions on various peace-related themes. Trainer Thomas D’Aquin Somé elaborated on the workshop’s content, covering aspects like the link between peace and development, advocacy for peace, its process, and the key actors involved. The format will include group work to enhance the learning experience.

At the workshop’s conclusion, attendees will convey a peace advocacy message to traditional and religious leaders. These leaders are expected to commit to supporting the young people and women in their peace initiatives.

Simplice Kané, representing the Bishop of the Ouahigouya diocese, emphasized the workshop’s timeliness, noting its potential to foster civic responsibility and awareness among the youth. He underscored the importance of promoting peace and social cohesion through interreligious dialogue.

The PREVI project, launched in January 2021, focuses on the North, Center-North, and Sahel regions over 36 months. It is a collaborative effort between the CDC and the Youth Association for the Development of the Sahel (AJDS), funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Royal Netherlands Embassy, amounting to 688,250,000 FCFA.