The International Centre of Non-Violence (ICON) at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) recently collaborated with the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Gandhi-Montessori-Luthuli Chair of Education for Peace and Transformative Solidarity to train justice and peace community champions to promote human rights, and social and environmental justice in their distinctive communities.
The two-day workshop was held at the DUT ML Sultan Campus, ICON Seminar Room, led by UNESCO Gandhi-Montessori-Luthuli Co-Chair and Associate Professor at DUT ICON Professor Dorcas Ettang. It brought together about 16 community leaders from various communities in and around the eThekwini Municipality to capacitate them to bring change and transformation on human rights, social justice and environmental justice in their respective communities.
The programme commenced with welcome remarks by Prof Ndumiso Ngidi, the Director of DUT ICON, and the two-day programme included multiple presentations, practical role-plays, and activities on understanding human rights frameworks, social and environmental justice, non-violence and peaceful communication, community engagement and mobilisation, conflict transformation and mediation, and communication and reporting. Participants also developed a Personal Action Plan to implement a Community Advocacy and Sensitisation Project. The sessions were facilitated by the centre’s academics Prof Dorcas Ettang, Dr Dudu Shabane, Dr Maleni Thakur, Dr Ishe Manatse, Dr Ruth Nyamadzawo, and Dr Zimkitha Mahlungulu.
Speaking on the collaboration, Prof Ettang said the initiative is to train community champions who are active leaders of organisations in their communities on justice and peace to equip them with knowledge and skills to contribute to securing their communities.
“The goal with this is to contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals such as building a peaceful society and making sure that education and capacity building is made available to people who engage the community and that they have the skills to engage in community development,” said Prof Ettang.
She added that, having participated in the training, they hope that the community champions gain a better understanding of their communities and the challenges they face, and that they can be the change in their communities, drive solutions, and be part of bringing about transformation.
Pictured: Attendees at the two-day workshop.
Thulasizwe Nkomo
