On Friday 27th April, WPDI and the Education Above All (EAA) foundation held a ceremony in New York City to renew their partnership to assist communities impacted by conflict and poverty in South Sudan and Uganda. Building on our joint action in those two countries over the 2016-2017 period, our respective CEOs, Forest Whitaker and Fahad Al-Sulaiti, signed a new agreement to promote peace and resilience through youth leadership and education in the areas of Central Equatoria in South Sudan and Acholi subregion in Northern Uganda. The vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is at the heart of the work of the respective Foundations of Mr Whitaker and Her Highness Sheikha Moza, Founder and chairperson of EAA, who are also both members of the SDG Advocates team.
EAA, through its program Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict (PEIC), will support WPDI to empower 312 young women and men as peacemakers who will engage their communities through inclusive peacebuilding initiatives. Fostering a culture of peace and respect for all is fundamental to the courses WPDI will continue teaching in peace education in primary and secondary schools of Acholi, drawing on the energies of 300 children and teens to promote dialogue and tolerance in their schools and homes. Our Community Learning Centers in Juba, the capital city of South Sudan, and Gulu, in the Acholi area, will also be an integral part of the partnership, offering certified courses in peace education, ICTs, arts & crafts and project management to local youth and community members at large.
Commenting on the successes we expect from renewed collaboration with EAA, Forest Whitaker said that “In joining us again, EAA has chosen to strengthen hope. Our renewed partnership will prove strategic again in supporting initiatives that are at a hinging point in South Sudan and Uganda.”
Mubarak Al Thani, Head of Advocacy of EAA said, "EAA is committed to engaging with Eastern African youth. We look forward to listening to the young people and teachers of Northern Uganda and South Sudan, and working in partnerships with them to build peaceful communities."
Through the EAA-WPDI partnership, key dimensions of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development will be strengthened, notably through the cross-cutting Goal 4 on Education and its targets on vocational training, peace education and global citizenship education. Considering the partnership between WPDI and EAA as a strategic opportunity to increase the visibility and impact of the 2030 Agenda, Forest Whitaker declared that “Translating global goals into endogenous initiatives is a key responsibility of SDG Advocates. I do believe that this partnership is a perfect illustration of how SDG advocates can work together to create a movement that will transform the world into a better place.”