The International Canoe Federation (ICF) announced Tuesday its partnership with the Monaco-based international organization “Peace and Sport” to implement peace education programs on the African continent.
The ICF issued a press release saying under the terms of the agreement the ICF will support action implemented by Peace and Sport in several countries in the Great Lakes Region, including Burundi and Rwanda, where Peace and Sport already has a presence and is working on several projects to reconcile communities that have been divided by conflict, and to create favourable conditions for sustainable peace.
According to the press release, due to the national environment of the Great Lakes Region which abounds with lakes and rivers, canoeing seems to be the appropriate sport to practice. Populations are often separated by water which leads to cultural distancing, misunderstanding and intolerance, sometimes even leading to war. By developing the practice of canoeing the ICF and Peace and Sport hope to encourage dialogue and sharing as the fundamental nature of canoeing is the image of a boat propelled in a forward direction and serves as a unifying symbol among cultures and nations dating back 5000 years in history.
Under the terms of the partnership the ICF will make “sizeable” contributions of equipment to Peace and Sport, and will organize training for local instructors who remain on the site and ensure long-term supervision of the sport.
