15 June 2010 - “The quest for lasting peace in Darfur needs the collective effort of the good people of Darfur,” said UNAMID official Reuben Inaju at the opening ceremony of a Mission workshop attended by 300 regional artists in Nyala, South Darfur.

This sentiment was echoed throughout the start of the three-day event, entitled “The Role of the Artist in Peacemaking.” The workshop, organized by the State Ministry of Culture and Information and UNAMID, brings together a variety of musicians, painters, craftsmen, and poets from all over South Darfur.

Attending the opening ceremony were the Mission’s regional Head of Office and the State Ministers of Youth, Sports and Tourism, and the Director-General of the Ministry of Culture and Information.

The workshop aims at providing a forum for participants to discuss what they can do within their communities to highlight issues of human rights, gender and social welfare and to also encourage their audience to become more proactive in the peace process.

Communication and Public Information Division Media Contacts
Kemal Saïki, Director; saiki@un.org; tel.: +249 (0) 92 244 3529; mobile: +249 (0) 92 241 0020
Chris Cycmanick, OiCMedia Relations; cycmanick@un.org, mobile: +249 (0) 91 253 8436