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Project Name

Advocacy for Peace Education and Peaceful Coexistence

APEC

Project Location

Emails

Phones

APEC Office:

22B Omotayo Ojo Street,

Off Majekodunmi Street

Allen Avenue, Ikeja

Lagos

Websites: www.byzantineorthodoxchurch.org

archbishop@byzantineorthodoxchurch.org

+234 8033977731, +234 8163037773

Project Theme

Name &Address of Bank

Corporate Account Name

Account Number

RESTORATION OF PEACE AND CULTIVATION OF

PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE IN AFRICA

Guaranty Trust bank (GTB), Allen Avenue Branch, Ikeja

Byzantine Orthodox Church

0173567512

Target Audience Young people and women in Nigeria and across Africa

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Christians believed Jesus of Nazareth to be the “Prince of peace, the Messiah Christ who established a Kingdom of Peace where persons, societies, and all of creation are to be healed of evil. For persons to enter the Kingdom and experience peace, Christians believed that one must develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who stated “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest of your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”, (Mathew 11:28-30) While Islam means submission. The title “Muslim” etymologically directly related to Salaam and the name Islam means a person who submits to Allah in Salaam. The submission to Allah (the Arabic proper noun for “God”, One and only) is based on humility. An attitude of humility within one’s own self cannot be accomplished without total rejection of violence, and personal attitude and alignment toward peace. These two dominant religions in Nigeria advocate peace and humility and de-emphasized violence. So how can one reconcile the current wave of socio religious and ethnic conflicts that characterized most parts of Northern States where majority of the people profess these religions? What can be responsible for the collapse of both moral and spiritual values to the extent that incessant killings of fellow human beings has displaced the humility and peace demanded by God? Northern Nigeria is the geographical expression lying between the Rivers Niger, Benue and the Republics of Cameroon, Chad and Niger. It is three quarters of the entire land mass of the country and made up of over three hundred and fifty ethnic nationalities, with diverse languages, customs, traditions, religions and cultural heritage. Politically, Northern Nigeria is configured into North West comprising of kaduna, katsina, Kano, jigawa, kebbi, sokoto, Zamara states, while the North Central includes Kwara, kogi, Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Taraba States and the FCT. The North East is made up of states like Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa and Borno. Nigeria is perceived as a conflict-prone nation because of her multi-ethnic, religious, cultural, political and economic differences and affiliations. The country however has faced intermittent economic turmoil and political crises since the time of independence in October 1960. The most notable challenge is the fact that the entire Nigerian nation has been scarred by a series of violent acts along ethnic, religious, geographic and political lines, and existence of unwise leadership or poor democratic governance since the graduation from military rule has undermined the worth and rights of the human person, especially the youth, leading to weak states’ apparatus, poverty and un-peaceful environment, injuries and death. The world is currently witnessing an escalation of wickedness, violence and terrorist

activities perpetrated against the church by Islamic forces. The ultimate aim is to overrun

the church in the world and set up Islamic States. Indeed one of the major challenges of

the church is lack of information and sensitivity to evolving trends that are inimical to its

expansion and the fulfillment of God’s mandate for it. In Nigeria, Christians are attacked

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and killed brutally on a daily bases, victimized, Churches are bombed and burnt down

and many Christians especially in the Northern part have been rendered homeless. As a

matter of fact, there has been an unfolding of a clandestine Islamic Agenda to overrun the

Nigerian state through a consistent strategic engagement of the Nigerian State in

calculated pockets of violence and terrorist attacks with the aim of promoting the cause of

Islam and in the process of Islamizing Nigeria. This has affected the Church drastically

especially in the north east geopolitical zone of the country where fierce Islamic sect Boko

Haram has been holding sway, wreaking havoc with impunity. There is clearly an Islamic

conspiracy against the Church in Nigeria with a well-orchestrated long term plan to

overrun Nigeria and then Africa.

The trend is not just in Nigeria but also in Somalia, Kenya, Cameroun, Sudan among other

African countries to mention just but a few. Religious leaders continually misinterpret

their scriptures and due to their ego perpetuate evil and teach errors and involve the

followers to propagate such evil agenda.

THE ABUJA DECLARATION: If you go to Wikipedia.com and type Abuja Declaration 1989, Islam in Africa held a conference in Nigeria, the Organisation for Islamic Co-operation (OIC) made a declaration in Abuja. Called the Abuja Declaration 1989 which contains the following:

To eradicate in all its forms and ramifications all non-Muslim religions in Member

nations and Nigeria is a member nation. Such religions shall include Christianity.

The word Christianity in the communiqué was underlined.

To ensure that only Muslims are elected into all political post in member nations.

To ensure that appointment of only Muslims into strategic national and

international positions in member nations.

To ensure the replacement of form of western forms of legal and judicial system

with the Sharia in member nations.

To make sure that this strategy works.

Billions of Dollars have already been voted for the total Islamization of Nigeria in

Particular and Africa in General

HISTORICAL REFERENCE: Turkey was 100% Christians for 1123 years but today it is 96.o4% Islam. The seven churches that Jesus wrote to in Rev. 2 and 3 were in Turkey. Apostle Paul was a citizen of Turkey In spite of the long standing history of Christianity in Turkey, it was overrun by Islamic forces and the rest is history. This was so because the Christians were complacent, ill-informed and non-committal to the defense of their faith etc. Christians and the Church in Africa will be making the same mistake if we refuse to do something to stop the threat of the Islamization of Africa; Christianity is only 172 years in Nigeria. The Nigerian Church, which is God’s agent to stop everything bad, must be effectively sensitized, galvanized and mobilized against the turning of Nigeria into an Islamic State.

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Christianity in Africa began in Egypt in the middle of the 1st century. By the end of the 2nd century it had reached the region around Carthage. Important Africans who influenced the early development of Christianity include Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen of Alexandria, Cyprian, Athanasius and Augustine of Hippo.

The spread of Islam into North Africa reduced the size of Christian congregations as well as their number, so that of the original churches, only the Coptic Church in Egypt, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church in the Horn of Africa remain. Both the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox churches profess their own distinct religious customs, a unique canon of the Bible and unique architectures. Neither of these communities of Christians in the Horn of Africa are the product of European missionary work, but were founded prior to missionary work by any European countries.

1.2 THE PLATFORM FOR THE MISSION

As a response to the ugly development we intend to set up a Christian Advocacy group

called: Network for Peace and Advocacy for Peaceful Coexistence (NEPAPCO) as an

umbrella platform then build the following networks with a clearly articulated agenda for

the future of the Church in Nigeria and Africa.

To discuss and formulate a common vision and agenda for engendering peaceful coexistence among Muslims and Christians in Nigeria

To identify key strategies, programmes and projects for actualizing the agreed agenda

Establish educational and allied institutions to foster the growth of peace

Network with Christian Journalist in various Media Houses in Africa

Network of Christian Professionals

Network of Christian Bankers and Financial experts

Network of Christian Politicians

Network of Christians in the Military

Network of Christian Entrepreneur and Business people

Network of Christian Lawyers

Network of Religious Leaders

Network of Christian Musicians and Movie Actors/Actresses etc

Network of Christian Youths and Students

Network of Peace lovers to advance propagation of peaceful coexistence

1.3 WHAT WE INTEND TO ACHIEVE:

To instill in every individual the consciousness of the fact that they represent the

interest of God and heaven where ever they are and where they work.

To raise disciples who will rise up to the defense of Peace and the Church in Africa.

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To sensitize, galvanize and mobilize Christians in Africa to build a common front

against the threat of Islamization of and the series of attacks on the innocents.

To properly disseminate vital Information which the church lacks that is needed for

the campaigns. The bible says my people are destroyed because of lack of

knowledge.

To recruit Christian advocator across sectors in Africa who will act as watchdogs

for the church in Africa and against Islamic infringement on the Church.

To foster unity amongst the Church and Promote integrity, honesty, merit, hard

work, process, mentorship.

To intensity evangelism and missions in the nooks and crannies of Africa and

celebrate the personality of Jesus, the Master of Peace.

To inspire godly character and engender the spirit of righteousness.

To create a global network of Christian accountability on the evolution of bible

scholars around the world.

To expose and intercept emerging trends inimical to progress of Christianity in

Africa.

Encouraging more Christians to be involved in politics and also be politically alert.

Holding Leaders in Government to account for their stewardship

Incubate Christian loyalty to the Church regardless of denomination and compel

Christian conformity to the teachings of the Bible.

To regulate Christian behavior and character – what Christian musicians sing, kind

of movies the actors act, including conducts of Christian professionals.

1.4. GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

The overall goal of the proposed project is to establish peace education and intensive

leadership training interventions to change the trend that often makes many Nigerian and

African communities become battlefields for violence during elections and the like, where

youth are empowered to promote peace and non-violence activities, support successful

peaceful coexistence, and or be part of transparent and credible leadership formation,

rather than being hired and armed to commit crimes and violent conflicts.

And the objectives are:-

- To sensitize and increase the capacity of youth in peace building and leadership development projects in Nigeria and across africa.

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- To educate them on their roles and rights to fully participate in democratic governance and assist them to achieve same.

- To offer them life-skill training in the areas of human rights, drug free habit, study technology, the way to happiness, the problems of work, self analysis, time and financial management and other personal development trainings.

- To develop these youths into Peace ambassadors, working to establish in them the message of peaceful co-existence, forgiveness, mindfulness to others and supporting good leadership.

- And to advocate for creation of policies that encourage widespread involvement of youth in the process of peace building and democratic governance.

1.5 STRATEGIES AND ACTIVTIES

a. Strategies:

The proposed Network of Advocacy for Peaceful Coexistence Ambassadors for

peace education and good leadership project will use the following strategies in

ensuring the realization of its various activities:

- Educating and empowering youths to speak as oracles of peaceful coexistence during and after elections.

- Holding of peace education trainings, other life-skills trainings and conferences. - Seminars and interactive media exchanges with young peace ambassadors,

professionals, celebrities, religious leaders, political leaders and models. - House to house visitation and talks with community heads, youth leaders on

release of youths to register, vote and work for peaceful activities. - Distribution of non-violent, peace building and effective leadership related

materials during street walks and road-side concerts. - And other means of timely dissemination of information on prevention measures

to violence and illegal use of small arms/light weapon trading.

b. Activities.

- Training: Young people will be empowered with knowledge and skills as change ambassadors, understanding first their roles and rights, the ethics and ideals of a true democratic leadership process and all the basics of mindfulness, love and peace building.

- Radio and Television programme: Focusing on distinct attractive topics that are pressing and curative methods to a societal state of disorderliness such as ineffective leadership and lack of peace in local and urban communities. This medium will also be used to educate and inspire youth to join our list of change ambassadors in large number, supporting the cause for peace, good leadership and non violence.

- Conference: Within the duration of the present project, trained change ambassadors within main coverage area will form delegations to hold conferences with youth in other local governments, educating and inspiring them to preach peace, promote love, mindfulness and good leadership. Project will also receive delegates from other local governments monthly to engage in interactions that are

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informative, fun and problem solving, especially to peace and leadership challenges.

- Advocacy program: Will involve many projects such as youth peace ambassadors reaching other youth with project related messages, visitations to community heads, churches, mosques, parents, teachers and other opinion leaders to mobilize and encourage everyone working to create positive change.

- Information and Awareness Centers: These centers will be quickly set-up and the existing ones strengthened with ICT tools to enhance communications and timely information delivery to youth, across Africa. Internet and mobile telecommunication based services will be utilized via these platforms to massively reach the youth. Flyers, handbills and magazines etc on peace and good governance will also be made available for distribution to the public.

- Peace Concert: This activity will be carried out in strategic areas, mostly open areas with popular singers, models and instrumentalists as a medium to mobilize and sensitize youth to continue to be agent of peace and good leadership. Buses will also be used with loudspeakers and microphones to implement this activity on busy streets and market places.

1.6 ANTICIPATING IMPACTS

Youth are properly educated and informed on their roles and rights, ethics of good governance and benefits of peaceful society.

Institutionalization of ethics and ideals of true democracy and peace in the youth and Nigerian political and religious systems.

Cutting down the circulation of small arms in africa and reduction on youth involvement in election violence.

Attitudinal change of many youth within and outside coverage area through radio, T.V and ICT based initiatives.

Solving societal problems of civil, social, political and religious unrest that often leads to property damage, injuries and deaths.

Building bridges and planting strong culture of living together in peace amongst Christian and Muslim youth, during and after elections.

1.7 . TENTATIVE PROJECT TIME LINE/ IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

We plan to establish elementary and secondary schools to teach peace as a subject

and cultivate the culture of peaceful coexistence with everyone without prejudice to

their faith.

We will be having Co-ordinators across the 36 states of Nigeria, Field Officers in all

the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria and indeed a national EXCO that will co-

ordinate the campaigns in Nigeria in liaison with the Christian Association of

Nigeria (CAN) and indeed the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and

duplicate same across the countries that are equally affected in Africa.

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We would be setting up a studio for both visual and audio visual productions where

advocacy programmes will be produced for national re-orientation on radio and TV

stations in each country.

We intend to also be in constant touch with Christian Owned Newspaper publishers

to feature pro Christian messages and articles on their national dailies

We would also organize conferences, summits etc on a regular bases.

We plan to set up a Peace Radio Station exclusively for mobilizing the peacelovers in

Africa - Peace FM.

We will put in place an effective research commission that will generate accurate

statistics that will enable us work effectively.

Amidst other strategies that will be putted in place to achieve our objectives

S/NO MECHANISM AND TOOLS ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTATION

1. - Mobilization

- ID Cards

- Sensitization

- Recruitment

- Certification

Training

Ambassadors and

workshops/seminars

Day, time and venues:

Pending

2. -Strategic Visitation

- Posters/Flyers

- Buses

- Loudspeakers

- Microphones

Advocacy and peace

concert running

concurrently.

Day, time and venues:

Pending

3. - Delegation

- Skill Development

- Artiste

- Models

- Open phone calls etc.

Conference

Radio and T.V

Programmes

Day, time and venues:

Pending

4. - Facebook Information and Day, time and venues:

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- magazines

- Blog spot

- Text messages

- Flyers

- Posters

awareness centers Pending

5. - Revisits

- Summary

- M&E

- Reports

Advocacy and

protect report

writing

Day, time and venues:

Pending

6. Schools Establishment of

elementary and

secondary school

where peace is

taught and

vocational school

that will empower

every youth so that

they may shun

violence

1.8. TARGET AUDIENCE AND MARKETABILITY

a. Target Audience: The target population of the peace ambassadors for peace

education and good leadership in Nigeria and Africa are:

- Youth in and out of primary and secondary schools who are 18 years and above.

- Youth in and out of Colleges of education, Polytechnics, Universities and other

higher institutions of learning.

- And other Youth who may not be opportune to attend any school but are within

project coverage area.

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1.9. PAST ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCE

YELI Int’l held an Educational Seminar and conference with the Theme “Effective Leadership, a bane for Literacy and poverty reduction with over 100 youth in attendance – March 28, 2008.

The project organized and hosted 12 primary and secondary schools with about 150 students to a “writing and reading competition” Themed “Developing Writing Skills in the young for confidence building” – 21st June, 2008.

We sent 14 members on Sponsorship to attend World Youth Alliance 4 days 2nd International Youth Conference on “Good Governance for peace, free and just societies in Africa” which took place – 29th November to 2nd December, 2007.

The project participated in the Int’l conference on “Global ethics, values and mindfulness: A quest for peace and Happiness” organized by NEEDCSI, Dalai Lama Foundation, Project Happiness and Between Four Eyes – 21-22, October, 2008.

YELI Developed and held a one year peace radio show on “Youth and violent conflict” in collaboration with Society of Nigerian Doctors for the Welfare of Mankind and the Int’l Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) – January to December, 2008.

We designed and hosted over 300 Christians and Muslims Youth to a “National Creativity Summit on Peace” – 23rd-25th April, 2009.

Members have been featured on the Nigerian Youth Forum (TV Show), Innocent Mind Radio Show, Youth Power Radio project to Discuss “Capacity building, corruption and leadership, peace and development” – 21st September, 5th October, & 3rd November, 2010.

YELI held “The Way to Happiness Nigeria Million Youth Peace March in Jos” and 3 day peace and educational seminars with Dianetics and Human Rights Teams from U.S.A – 18th-26th November, 2010.

Our coming event is Change Ambassadors Writing and Reading Competition 2011, March 17th.

2.0. WORKING BUDGET ANALYSIS

S/NO DESCRIPTIONS UNITS UNIT COST $ TOTALS $

1. PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT

- Staff Training

-Volunteers Training

- Health Services

- T-shirt for Staff

24

50

37

12

50

85

60

200

35

30

2040

3000

7400

420

1500

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- T-Shirt for Volunteers

-Stipend/Incentives

37 400 14,800

SUB-TOTALS P.M 29,160

2. TRAINING/WORKSHOP

- Representatives at LGA

- Training Materials

- Refreshments

- Halls rental

- Resource persons

5x36 LGA= 180

180

180

76

10

50

17

18

500

150

9,000

3,060

3,240

30,000

1,500

SUB-TOTALS T&W 43,740

3. PEACE CONCERTS

- Purchase of Buses

- Printing of Materials

- Appearance fee for

celebrities

- Purchase of Speaker/mics

4

10,000

10

6 Speakers/ mics

12,000

1

200

500

48,000

10,000

2,000

3,000

SUB-TOTALS P.C 63,000

4. ADVOCACY PROGRAMM

- Fueling cars

- Advocacy materials

- Feeding

- Communication

- Car Servicing/ Maintainace

4 Cars

7,000

374

14

4 Cars

600

2

20

15

140

2,400

14,000

7,480

210

560

SUB-TOTALS A.P 24,650

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5. RADIO/TV PROGRAMS

- Airtime cost (interactive

programme) on radio

- Airtime cost (interactive

programme) on TV

- Airtime cost (jingles) on

radio

- Airtime cost (jingles) on TV

5 Times monthly

5 Times monthly

5 Times monthly

5 Times monthly

857

1,400

600

1350

4,285

7,000

3,000

6,750

21,035

6. CONFERENCES

- Halls rentals

- Resource persons

- Conference materials

- Refreshments

- Publishing communiqués

37

15

185 persons

185 persons

8 papers

450

100

10

17

260

16,650

1,500

1,850

3,145

2,080

SUB-TOTALS C 25,225

7. INFORMATION CENTER

- Purchase of Laptops

- Purchase of Desktops

- Internet modems

- Phone communication

- Flyers/poster production

6 Laptops

4 Desktops

3 Modem

12 Staff

50,000 Copies

1,000

350

70

20

1

6,000

1,400

210

240

50,000

SUB-TOTALS I.C 57,850

8. MOBILITY EQUIPMENTS

- Office equipments

- Project vehicle

3

1

200

10,000

600

10,000

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- Driver salary/ maintenance 4 Drivers 750 for 6

month

750

SUB-TOTALS M.E 11,350

9. OTHERS 19,250

10. Byzantine School of Peaceful

Coexistence

200,000

GRAND TOTALS 495,260 USD

Setting up engaging and sustained campaigns across Africa

2.1. SUSTAINABILITY PLAN/M&E

The proposed project will be sustained through local fund raising activities with

effect from time of implementation so that it creates more avenues for the youth

involved to get busy and maintain the spirit of peace-building and good

ambassadorship in their various communities.

The Proposed project will monitor and evaluate every designed activity as cost on

the budget, based on the extent to which its objectives are achieved i.e., when, how,

and where the activity is implemented and with what. Apart from internal training

of our Monitoring and Evaluation staff, services of well trained professional

Monitoring and Evaluation officers will be hired and used periodically.

- It could be at the main coverage local government or other communities.

- Progress and failures and areas of focus for improvement during our Monitoring

and Evaluation activity and setting of timeline for completion of each activity are

important.

- Monitoring and Evaluation Officers from donor organizations will also be

involved.

2.2. CONCLUSION

To attain an effective level of democratic governance, which true ethics and values

of transparency, accountability, equity, responsiveness, participation, justice, the

rule of law consensus on ethical value reorientation in the polity structure of

Nigeria and Africa, the need to educate the youth and other populace on the value

of peaceful co-existence, mindfulness, love and good leadership is very paramount.

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And to achieve this, it is much more important to invest in projects focusing on

developing and re-engaging youth potentials to non-violent ventures that make

them equal to the task of participating in all processes of change and peace

building. This will be through workshops, training, media exchange programs and

advocacies, which the present Advocate ambassadors for peace education and

good leadership in Nigeria and Africa is designed to achieve in cooperation with

other likeminded organizations and donor agencies.

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