On 12 May 2014, the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in collaboration with the West Darfur State Ministry of Education conducted a conference on the creation of a teachers’ network for peace, which brought together more than 300 teachers from different basic and secondary schools in El Geneina, West Darfur.

The conference, held at UNAMID headquarters, was designed to encourage the teachers to support the peace process as well as to promote a peace culture among their respective communities. In addition to drawing hundreds of teachers, the event drew senior local Government officials and representatives from UNICEF and UNAMID.

In his remarks, UNAMID Head of Office in West Darfur, Mr. Dysane Dorani, expressed his appreciation for the active role played by teachers across the world and in Darfur, in particular, in ensuring a better future for children.

Also speaking at the conference, Deputy Wali (Governor) of West Darfur, Mr. Abulgasim El-Amin Baraka, urged teachers to play their role as change agents in contributing to peace. He stressed the importance of national dialogue and engaging all political parties to address the crisis in the region.

Following their discussions and deliberations, the conference participants identified several recommendations for future work, including the integration of conflict-affected children into the school community, the encouragement of students to respect diversity and maintain good social relations among them, the sensitisation of students on all forms of discrimination and the capacity-building of teachers to support the peace process.