Generations For Peace Delegates conduct a series of programmes in Yemen for 40 leaders of youth.

24 September 2012, Aden – Yemen: Through Generations For Peace (GFP) programmes, forty leaders of youth in Aden recently participated in hands-on peace building seminars and activities that are specifically designed to provide the necessary tools for working with children in conflict situations. Using sport as the entry point into the target communities, the aim of the programme is to provide a viable alternative to the life-altering conflict situations that children are abruptly thrust into.

One such volunteer Delegate is Raseena Mohammad who chose to join GFP in order to effect positive change in her community by bridging the gaps of understanding between the diverse groups that make up the fabric of Yemen. “Coming from a community that suffers from conflict among refugees, marginalised and internally displaced persons, made me feel responsible for building peace in my community and to be part of building a better future,” states Raseena.

Along with other GFP leaders of youth, these volunteer Delegates started their peace building journey in Aden through a series of GFP programmes that included Sport and Peace, Train The Trainer, Working with Children and Youth, Peace Building, Advocacy and Partnerships, and sport-based games. These programmes not only served to expose the volunteers to a variety of effective approaches and tools for peace building, but they also raised awareness on the potential avenues for passing-on the message of peace to others in the diverse landscape of ideas and perspectives in their country.

Ashraf Jameel, a first-time participant in GFP’s Delegate training programmes, always wanted to make a difference and feels that “being a Delegate will help me change my community in a positive way.” Following the first session, Ashraf went on to start planning his own peace building programme based on the knowledge acquired and the skills learned through GFP.

GFP programmes in Yemen build upon existing local structures and organisations – both governmental and non-governmental including the community-based Social Services Association and the Government Youth and Sport office in Aden.

The message of “Pass It On” that GFP espouses and advocates, is the cornerstone of all its programmes through which Delegates, Pioneers and participants become the mobile expressions of GFP’s mission, vision and successes. “We want to empower other active leaders of youth to become Generations For Peace Delegates and Pioneers and be part of the positive change process to reduce violence and conflict in Yemen,” added Raseena.

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Notes to Editor:

Generations For Peace (GFP) is an Amman-based global non-profit organisation founded by HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan and dedicated to sustainable peace building and the use of sport for conflict transformation.

By providing unique training and continuous mentoring support to volunteer leaders of youth, GFP empowers them to lead and cascade change in their communities, promoting active tolerance and responsible citizenship and working at the grass roots to address local issues of conflict and violence.

GFP programmes target adults and youth leaders who are influential in their communities; and children and adolescents who are the future of any community. Carefully-facilitated sport-based games and activities provide an entry point to engage children and adolescents, and a vehicle for integrated education and behavioural change.

Since 2007, GFP has trained and mentored almost 6,000 Delegates and Pioneers from more than 45 countries and territories in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. These peace building efforts have touched the lives of more than 90,000 children and youth.


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