01 March 2010 - In a spirited debate held today at the University of El Fasher, North Darfur, organized by UNAMID’s Communications and Public Information Division and the University’s Centre for Peace and Development Studies, participants were asked “Has education failed in the search for peace in Darfur?”

The event was broadcast live via radio to all three Darfur states and was attended by UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR) Ibrahim Gambari, State Minister of Education Adam Hari Bosch, and University Vice Chancellor Abdullah Abdulhai Abubakar.

In his address, the State Minister of Education indicated that the education sector was one of those most affected by the war, praising UNAMID’s continuous collaboration with North Darfur state in helping to improve education. He requested the Mission’s assistance in helping to transport teachers and supplies to schools in areas that remain difficult to reach.

Emphasizing the debate’s importance, Professor Gambari stated that it “represents an important milestone in the search for sustainable peace, not only in Darfur, but in Sudan and indeed the world as a whole. There can be no peace nor development without education and human rights.”

He urged the participants to take this opportunity to think of solutions, adding that “placing appropriate emphasis on peace education in our school curriculum can go a long way in cultivating a culture of dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflict in the minds of our youth.”

The six panelists, graduate students and education professionals, presented impassioned arguments highlighting the successes and failures of the education system in helping to advance peace in Darfur. Among the issues raised was the region-wide over-crowding in schools, low teacher incomes, insufficient school funding and the lack of proper psychological attention for children affected by the conflict.

After hearing both sides, the 200-strong audience voted “yes” to the question by an overwhelming 80 percent majority. The issues addressed in this debate, the first of many planned for this year, as well as the findings will be further examined by state authorities and the humanitarian community to help advance education in the region.

The Centre for Peace and Development Studies conducts numerous symposiums, forums and workshops on capacity-building and awareness-raising, and was established to help provide realistic solutions to the Darfur conflict.