February 2015

The JCCP, together with local citizens’ groups, hosted an event to celebrate “the International Day of Peace” established by the United Nations in the Mathare area, Nairobi on 19 September.
In addition to students, principals, community leaders and civic group officers, around 200 people, including police officers and administrators, participated in the event and celebrated the peace of the Mathare area, Kenya and the world.

 The seven ambassadors for peace selected from various areas of Mathare, and their objective, were introduced to Mathare community.

The participants held a “Peace Walk” which included carrying a banner with the messages of peace under the escort of the provincial and the chief of police. After the march had arrived at an event site, ambassadors for peace and resident groups performed music and dances on a stage, and a sense of solidarity for peace was created with police officers and administrators in the enjoyable atmosphere. The ambassadors for peace are the seven representatives selected from various areas of Mathare, and are posts newly created as an initiative of this year. They were selected for these posts in the trials the JCCP had previously organized in which they promoted community peace through reading poems and singing. They continue to work on their own initiatives, such as awareness raising, in order to become a symbol and model of peaceful coexistence in the area.


The performance by a slum drummer art group in the eventThe provincial of police firmly stated their will to create a safe and peaceful environment with the peace ambassadors and the people, and also expressed a positive stance to strengthen trusting relationships with them.
　Mr. Terada, the Japanese Ambassador to the Republic of Kenya, participated as a guest and celebrated the holding of this event. He emphasized once again that it is important for related parties and the residents to prevent ethnic conflicts and disputes, and appealed for the promotion of efforts to prevent them. A trophy was also bestowed by Ambassador Terada to praise the efforts of peace ambassadors.


The participants sharing a Peace Cake
A “Peace Cake” was cut at the end of the event this year, and 1 piece of cake was distributed to every participant. Sharing the Peace Cake symbolically conveyed the JCCP’s message of sharing peace with all.
This event was a good opportunity for all participants, including the police, administrative officers, community leaders, the young, and others, to share the determination to work together as a community, as well as to realize again that it is important that people coexist peacefully.