REPORT OF THE LIVING TOGETHER DAY CELEBRATIONS, 2021

organized by restore dialogue Uganda in partnership with Goethe Zentrum

24th September, 2021,  at Goethe Zentrum offices, Kampala

compiled by Helga Akao

About The Living Together Day

The Living Together Day Celebrations was held on 24^th September, 2021 at Goethe Zentrum Kampala from 3pm to 5pm under the theme, “Making Peace Everyone’s Business”

The purpose of the celebrations which are held every year was to bring together people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds and create a culture of dialogue and commitment to peace.

Why the living together day?

The ultimate goal is to contribute towards creating safe communities that are united and committed to peace.

Specifically,

• To bring together different members of the community from different ethnic and faith groups to celebrate and recognize the value of living together.
• To provide a safe, relaxed and open environment for different members of the community who share a passion for peace to discuss interfaith and interethnic dialogue, the challenges to unity in the community and possible solutions to these challenges.
• To create awareness on the importance of unity and peace
• To encourage individual commitment to the promotion of peace and dialogue in the community and thereby contribute to creation of peaceful and safe communities

How did we achieve the aims?

• Using poetry to create awareness and sensitization on the importance of peace and dialogue.
• The Key Note Speaker highlighted some of the challenges to peace in Uganda and introduce the theme for reflection which is, “Making Peace Everyone’s Business”
• Senior poets made poetry presentations that were appealing to appealing to all the senses of the audience, activating their conscious, broadening their minds and reminding them of their shared identity and commitment to humanity. The messages in the poetry also reminded the audience of their unique abilities as individuals and their capacity to create change in their communities and create safe productive environments for all.   .
• Poetry was used to create a relaxed environment for the discussion of sensitive issues.
• Time was also given to the audience to deliberate on the experience and contribute to the discussion and topic with the aim of creating an environment of dialogue and shared problem solving.
• By ensuring that the audience was as diverse as possible and representative of several situations requiring dialogue and peace.
• The event was conducted both on ground and live streamed to a wider audience. Due to Covid 19 restrictions, strictly 24 people were invited to form the audience on ground. The event was advertised on different platforms and different organizations invited to watch the presentations online and contribute where necessary.
•  Members of the living together movement present and staff of Goethe Zentrum Kampala assisted in the preparation for the event   

What did we achieve?

• The occasion was graced by 5 poets, who were highly experienced and renowned poets and one was a member of the living together movement chapters from Makerere University, Kampala
• The poets presented 9 poems on issues concerning peace, justice and strong institutions, SGD 16. The diverse presentations concerned issues of conflict, war and its effects on people, the need for dialogue and peace, unity in diversity, the plight of refugees and migrants, the need and importance of living together, tribalism, the importance of Arts in portraying healing messages, the need to listen and pay attention to the plight of each human being and the responsibility of leaders to foster peace. The diverse audience helped ensure that the discussion was encompassing and there was a resolve by all to welcome and assist as much as we can.
• There was an increased understanding of the sustainable development goal 16; and its importance in our community. Without peace there can be no development, no freedom, and no growth. Mr Eron Kiza the key note speaker mentioned how it all connects to goal 16 and Ms. Irene Mutuzo the poet stated that through unity, despite poverty, disease and suffering, together we can rise to victory. Peace and unity is therefore a fundamental requirement that we need to overcome all our challenges.
• The advertising and celebratory nature of the event helped people to put aside that day for the celebration of living together as a community and enabled them to truly envision that possibility. Having the people on ground was important as the atmosphere in the room was that of understanding and commitment and acceptance. Something we hope can, through those people, move from just the room to the entire community.
• The event was physically attended by 24 people on ground at the Goethe Zentrum conference hall. 71 people viewed the presentations on the Goethe Zentrum Instagram Channel and 26 people viewed the same video presentations on the Restore Dialogue Uganda You Tube Channel.
• The audience consisted of Ugandans from different tribes, different nationals living in Uganda whether temporarily or as migrants and people who are either refugees or have experience living with refugees. Members of the Indian community also showed great interest in contributing their view online.
• Young Members of the Living Together Movement University chapters from two universities in Uganda, Makerere University and Nkumba University were also in attendance.
• There were phone calls from viewers who wanted to contribute to the discussion and share their own experience. That the presentation was able to awaken such a response made it a success.
• Two people who attended on ground openly stated their commitment to this new cause of promoting peace wherever they are.
• Many who viewed the videos online were inspired and would like to see more of this. They were excited about the idea of promoting unity in our country.
• Members of the living together movement university chapters actively participated. One of the poets was from their group. The students where highly encouraged and the event gave them ideas on what they as chapters can also do to promote peace at their universities.

A Summary of Lessons Learned from the presentations.

Key note speech

By Mr. Eron Kizza

Mr. Eron Kiza, the key note speaker reminded us that “Peace, we were warned by Martin Luther, is not just the absence of war but the presence of justice.” Thus we need to be attentive and careful about the things in our midst that can disrupt peace such as; the abuse of rights, dictatorship and lack of freedom of speech. For as long as conditions like this exist in our midst we must never stop working towards peace because peace in the absence of justice is a false peace. This, he says, is true even in Uganda were many have lost loved ones to unknown assailants and questions remain, this has caused fear and anger in our communities.

Mr. Kiza also noted the importance of the arts in the work towards peace and justice. He noted that art is a bridge that connects different societies, civilizations and viewpoints. It unites and reconciles and it is hopeful, defiant and optimistic. It is the symbol of free speech which is necessary for true peace. He spoke of the importance of involving everyone in the business of building peace including artists.

The poetry presentations that followed were very touching and reinforced what the key note speaker said. Each carried a special message.

“Where I come from”

By  Ms. Irene Mutuzo

The poem spoke of the importance of being proud of who you are, of appreciating what you have. It is only through self-awareness and self-knowledge that one is able to love and accept others and to assist them. She speaks of recognising our shared African heritage and thereby eliminating tribalism, xenophobia “where I come from, it’s the land of unity.” The poem also reminds us to remember our African tradition of warmth and hospitality especially to those in need “it’s the land of freedom, peace and friendship.” After the poem Irene adds that “for as long as you are in Africa, whether German or Afghan livings amongst us, while you are here you are African, you are home. At the end of the day we are one people no matter our colour, our differences.

“Borderless Lands”

By Mr Ronald Ssekajja

The poem reminded us that, we are all human beings who will eventually leave. ”like cigarette ashes we will burn and fade…” “And these borders that we see…, they are not borders they are just lines.” So fighting with each other is pointless. We are better off living in peace together so we can all live a good life. It also reminds us that being humans and therefore vulnerable, we need each other.

“A Goddess with No Borders”

By Mr Ronald Ssekajja

This is a poem by a son about his mother. He speaks of his mother, a refugee living in another country that is not her homeland but who in his eyes is only the goddess he has always known.  “”My mother is not a refugee, she is only a goddess.””

Just like our mothers, brothers and sisters are important to us, so too are refugees. They are some one’s brother, sister, son, daughter out there frightened and away from home, running from conflict. The poem is a strong reminder to look at refugees with human eyes and to remember to be there for them and do all we can for them the same way we would if it was our mother, brother or sister in their position.

The poem speaks of the mental challenges that refugees face when he says his mother’s homeland still haunts her. “So she sinks and sinks in her daily drinking…” Refugees face different challenges and as much as possible we should try to assist them with some of their challenges and lessen the weight they carry. It is also an appeal to peace and speaks of the emptiness that genocide leaves behind.

Whereas refugees face mental challenges, the poet reminds us that, they are strong too because they have survived and they have overcome something that some of us probably wouldn’t have.  This should be encouraged and applauded he says “my mother is a goddess because she swings with the winds and embraces new land” and because “the gods have no borders”; therefore refugees are home too, because they are our brothers and sisters in need.

Uganda being a diverse country with a strong history that includes our neighbours means that, each one of us knows either a friend or relative who has faced the challenge of being a refugee so this poem can help us identify with them.

“A Prayer for the Living”

By Mr Ronald Ssekajja

In his 3^rd poem presented, Mr. Ssekajja appeals to humanity that we can live together and that there is joy in it. “Let’s embrace the living” He appeals to humanity to get soaked in humility because “there’s no trinity without diversity”

“Another Man’s Story”

By Mr Meddy Kizito

His poem speaks of the need to grow out of self-righteousness because we are all broken. It reminds us not to judge others because they may have gone through a lot. Finally, it is a reminder of the power we possess. The simple impact of our interactions with others has the power to create change, “Every saved man is a direct product of the unconditional love of another saved man”  He also states that we must always be compassionate and that no one invites problems, so one moment it is another person in need and the next it may be us. Challenges don’t segregate and all these problems don’t only affect one people but the whole world and determines future relations.

“Always Remember”

By Mr Meddy Kizito

Here the poet states that a person who does not know where they are coming from may not know where they are going. It is important for us to learn from history and pay attention to the wounds that our brothers and sisters carry.  The poet alluded to apartheid, the holocaust, slavery, racism, terrorism, xenophobia and genocide and stated that people who go through this do no forget such experiences and so we must never repeat them. Therefore, it’s important that we continue to open up our borders to our brothers in need.

“My Poetry Story”

By Mr Meddy Kizito

The poet here speaks of the power that poetry has to heal people who have suffered from some trauma and its ability to unite people too by enabling them to step in the shoes of others. He states that the process can help people learn to live together until peace is no longer preached but simply a part of our lifestyle, making peace a responsibility.

“Listen”

By Ms Patricia Peace Ejang

Ms Ejang, representing the Living Together Movement in Uganda presented this poem. Once again appealing to all to pay attention to the challenges people face amongst us; domestic violence, abuse of rights or discrimination on some level.  If we do not pay attention to these challenges they will be pushed to “take to the streets” and it will be too late. In Uganda tribalism and nepotism exists and this is what has caused conflict in the past when others are excluded in some way.  She also speaks of the many ways in which these conflicts and anger surface such as through social media aggressiveness and that we should pay attention to this because often it is an indication of a more serious problem. And she concluded by requesting that we let our “motherland breathe again” in essence, we must take action to resolve the issues in our midst and build lasting peace. Connected to all the other poems it was a reminder that peace is the responsibility of all of us.

“Peaceful Body (P.E.A.C.E)”

By Ms Asha Patandjila

Ms Patandjila’s poem started with a child’s recital. 4 year old Marize appeals to her leaders and wonders why there is war and so much disorganization in Congo.  She says it’s a disgrace and adds that they are born in war, they live in war and they don’t want to die in war. From her recital clearly the leaders have failed, the leaders who are supposed to be taking care of the country and ensuring the wellbeing of its people.

Asha then continued with her presentation.  She cited the absence of adequate power sharing; tribalism and nepotism as one of the causes of war… and that politicians use the people to promote their own interests. She stated that all abuses starts with the leader and so we must hold our leaders accountable. We must look to them and require a higher standard from them.  Leaders create excuses for their negligence and failures and call it “democracy because it’s the easier policy.”  People use all kinds of weapons to kill others and deny them rights, to the extent that peace which is a right becomes only a far dream for many. Finally, her prayer was simple, “Let peace be a dream we get to see and a place we get to live”, and it is possible because wars are caused by men so it is within our power to eliminate them. She spoke of all the countries suffering from war; Syria, Afghanistan, Chad, Niger, Kivu-Congo and she imagined peace in them. She imagined peace in all cities and all continents and requested that lets “”let peace be, peacefully””.

Challenges

• The poetry presentations were supposed to be vivid and make use of all the senses; however we lacked certain devices like speakers which made it difficult to incorporate all aspects of the poets’ presentations. But we managed to find a way around it and the audience still got the experience we hoped for.
• It was an event that was supposed to be aired live online at 3:00pm with a large audience who had confirmed attendance. The people of the Baha’i temple Center, the International Center for Ethno- Religious Mediation group, lawyers and artists amongst other groups and organisations. Due to technical difficulties the streaming did not start at the set time and so some of them may have missed the stream. Nevertheless it did still happen although it started a little late.  Of the individuals invited, fifteen people still managed to tune in and catch the stream. We have communicated with most of those who missed the live stream and shared with them the videos and links. The feedback is very positive and encouraging. We continue to encourage the public to be a part of this important work for peace.
• Our partners are impressed and encouraged by what they have seen. Many who watch the videos instantly understand the message and are inspired by it. The videos continue to speak to many even after the event which is a huge success and a great contribution to awareness creation.
• Covid 19 was a major challenge. We were not sure which date to set for the event, worried that there might be a lockdown and had to look out for the presidential address and any other information that would help guarantee that the event is not cancelled at the last minute. That affected the planning process and the timely execution of everything leading towards the event.
• Our budget was constrained and so we were not able to deliver a hundred percent as we had hoped.

Nevertheless despite the challenges we came across, the event was a success and we were able to achieve what we set out to do; create awareness, promote dialogue and encourage commitment to peace. We were also able to reach a wider audience.

Lessons for the future

In the future we should pay attention to all aspects of the expected presentation, and especially the technology, so that we are able to master it and create the impact that we truly aim for. Even with the limitations we had, many were touched and moved to action. I believe we can even achieve more and touch a wider audience in future.

There is yet opportunity to work even closer with our partners to ensure all items for the event are ready on time and the event is a success.

I believe that we can make the event even more colourful, celebratory and lively. It will help to create a more relaxed environment and make it a significant event in the lives of those who participate, an important memory that they carry forward with them. 

Through this event we realised that live streaming and online presentations are very helpful too, towards reaching a wide audience and in the future we will always try to incorporate this option.

It is important too that gatherings are encouraged, as the atmospheres they create tend to impact people more and encourage a sense of working together towards a goal. Due to Covid 19 it was not possible this year but God willing in the future this can be possible!

Finally, we should work to have sufficient funding for the event. Hopefully get more partners involved so that we are able to truly deliver and achieve what these events are organised and set to achieve.

Conclusion

The Living Together Day celebrated this September 24^th under the theme “Making Peace Every One’s Business” was a success despite the challenges we faced along the way. The response to the event shows that there is great potential in involving our community in the work towards peace. It is not the work of just one person or just one organisation but should involve as many people as possible. We all have the capacity to create an impact in our everyday lives.

Continuing to speak to people through the arts will make it easier for them to identify with our message and recognise it. It will also provide opportunity to front important issues standing in the way of peace. Uganda is a country with over 2 million refugees, 56 tribes and about nine indigenous communities.  In addition to this, Uganda has about 19 religious groups/ identities. In such a diverse country there is need to incorporate a culture of dialogue, a greater understanding of diversity and a commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict as a community.

We are very grateful to Goethe Zentrum for the partnership, financial and organizational support that they gave us to make the day a success.

ANNEX

PROFILE OF POETS

Ms Irene Mutuzo is a seasoned spoken word artist who was recently accorded the Best Spoken Word Act Award under the Vine Entertainment Awards 2020. Passionate about growing the art and entertainment industry, she serves as a board member of the Lantern Meet Foundation; a social enterprise striving to enrich reading, writing and performance culture through an initiative known as Ibua Initiative.

Mr Ronald Sekajja is an author of 8 poetry collections under Stubborn Poetry.

Mr Mohammed Kizito is an ethno botanist, spoken word poet, an author and artist who is attracted to the beauty in the broken.

Ms Patricia Peace Ejang is a law student, an activist and a writer with Stubborn Poetry and Pearl Pen Uganda. She is also a published poet with Writer’s Space Africa, a monthly magazine.

Ms Asha Patandjila Divine is an author, media communications student and poet at Kitara Nation