Did you go to camp as a child? That can be one of life's most memorable experiences. Our Ugandan peace partner, Dorothy, hosted a one-week camp for 1,000 children in a refugee settlement in August. When I asked her how it went, she said, emotionally, "It was very beautiful." I could tell she was reflecting on good memories, but creating them wasn't easy.
Many of the participating children fled war in South Sudan. While camp offered a wonderful opportunity for them to forget their worries and have fun, Dorothy noticed how quiet and withdrawn some of them were at first. In their young lives they have seen more than a lifetime's worth of death, violence, and loss. Conflicts cross borders, even into neutral countries, and while Uganda offers them safety, it has new networks, languages and challenges. Their families and community still struggle to make a living and a life. It must be hard for some of these children to even imagine what a flourishing, peaceful life feels like.
As a skilled peacebuilder, Dorothy knew how to draw them in gently. The focus of the week was becoming a beautiful "rainbow of unity" that includes everyone - refugees, people with disabilities, the elderly, the young... By the second day, she could see eyes lighting up and bridges being built between the children. They were beginning to experience that connection between themselves, and covenanted to intentionally reach out to the most vulnerable members of their community. We are all valuable; we are all sisters and brothers in the One Global Family.
Promises
We All Have Gifts to Share
We all have gifts and talents, and with a little creativity, can use them for peace. Are you a parent, aunt or big brother? Mentor and model peace to the younger ones in your life. Are you an energetic youth? Learn from your elders while offering them practical support. Whether through your profession, hobby, free time or practical skills, you can contribute to peace. The arts, environment, social services, and livelihoods offer opportunities to make a difference.
The diverse contributions that were required to host a successful peace camp is a good example. Dorothy organized, recruited and trained leaders. Others planned, purchased, prepared and served food. People helped with transportation, cleaning, graphic design, and promotion. They needed curricula, games, and songs. A nurse and health kit were important resources we hoped wouldn't be needed, while cleaning the bathrooms was an important, hidden contribution. International and local donors made it possible. It takes a village to raise a child. Let's celebrate our beautiful, international rainbow bridge of peacebuilders.
Dorothy's ambitious initiative caught the eye of her international Sant'Egidio community, and she has been invited to share the lessons learned in Italy in October. We hope this will result in a larger, longer Ugandan peace camp in 2027, while inspiring other countries to host their own. If our "Are We Together?" peaceful relationships curriculum can contribute to that, we will be grateful to see it make a bigger impact.
We have to act. We are One Global Family.
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