His Excellency Mohamed Osman Jawari today launched a new initative, Quraca Nabadda, aiming to achieve grassroots socialreconciliation through arts, culture and media, in front of an audience of Ambassadors and senior Somali politicians.
His Excellency Jawari said:
“Somalia has had enough. And that is why reconciliation is at the heart of the government’s agenda. We recognize – daily- that without reconciliation there can be no legitimate political process, no sustainable development and ultimately, no hope for a secure future for Somalia.”(1)
The event was sponsored by the Somali Ambassador in Embassy in Kenya, H.E. Mohamed Ali Nur (Americo). Who emphasised that one of the ways to revive Somalia is to engage the youth in Somali culture and arts.
Quraca Nabadda (the tree of peace in Somali) is the tree under which Somalis traditionally come together to solve their problems, as well as to celebrate.
The Quraca Nabadda is a partnership between the Federal Government and a coalition of Somali civil society organizations. As part of the project they will deliver over 3000 intensive 3-month reconciliation sessions in villages across Somalia, establish regional cultural centres to nurture the arts and unleash a wave of financial and technical support for the media.(2)
Osman Moallim, Chief Executive of Soyden, one of the Somali NGOs delivering the project said:
“Quraca Nabadda is a totally unique in Somalia. ‘Reconciliation’ usually means big conferences with ‘big men’ but Quraca Nabadda is about giving ordinary people the chance to come to terms with the past and be part of the peace process. It’s about reknitting the social fabric of Somalia. ” (3)
Jawari continued:
“Somalia is largely still an oral culture, with a rich tradition and high regard for art in all its forms: music, theatre, painting, poetry and literature…but the arts have been dismantled and artists targeted- terrorising many into never leaving their homes. …Quraca Nabadda harnesses the power of Somali culture and the Somali love of arts: music, stories, poetry and art- to bring people together in safe spaces to share their stories and discover that what divides people is less than what should unite them.”
The launch took place at an exhibition of Somali paintings done by artists in the Mogadishu studio set up by the Centre fir Research and Development. The paintings will be on display to the public later this year in both Mogadishu and Nairobi.
