25 October 2019 – Amman, Jordan: Generations For Peace Founder and Chairman HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein presented the ninth annual Samsung Generations For Peace Awards during a gala dinner held at the St. Regis Hotel in Jordan’s capital, Amman. The awards recognise the extraordinary achievements of Generations For Peace volunteers leading grassroots peacebuilding programmes in their own communities around the world.
During the ceremony, HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein stated, “For the past 12 years, the work of Generations For Peace has been consistent with the belief that youth are a crucial part of building and sustaining peace in communities around the world. The work we do is only effective because of the tireless efforts of our volunteers on a local level and their relentless dedication to reducing violence within their communities. To our volunteers, you are the backbone of Generations For Peace, and your commitment to peacebuilding inspires youth not only in your own communities but also around the world. You provide much needed hope and inspiration in a world that greatly needs it.”
The awards recognise programme excellence in four categories reflecting Generations For Peace’s Drivers of Change: Innovation, Sustainability, Quality, and Impact.
- The Innovation Award was presented to volunteers from Yemen for “Sport For Peace Programme for Children in Aden,” which aims to address regional conflict, empower female students, and provide psychological support to children who have witnessed intense violence in the country.
- The Quality Award was presented to volunteers from Nigeria for “United in Diversity,” a Dialogue For Peace Programme that seeks to increase tolerance and acceptance among different ethnic and religious groups in Kaduna State.
- The Impact Award was presented to volunteers from Uganda for “Reducing School Related Gender Based Violence through Sport and Arts in Soroti,” a Sport and Arts For Peace Programme that addresses and combats gender-based violence in Ugandan schools.
- The Sustainability Award was presented to volunteers from Jordan for “Youth RESOLVE,” an Advocacy For Peace Programme that engages youth to strengthen resilience and social cohesion, and reduce violence and vulnerability to extremism across the Kingdom.
HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein concluded the night by confirming the impact Generations For Peace and its volunteers has made around the world, saying, “Globally, we have now trained and mentored more than 12,500 volunteer leaders of youth to lead change to address local issues of conflict and violence in their own communities, positively impacting the lives of more than 647,000 children, youth, and adults in 51 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe.”
The awards ceremony marks the conclusion of the 2019 Generations For Peace Samsung Advanced Training, where volunteers take part in facilitator-led sessions and workshops, engaging in both vertical and horizontal learning and exchanging knowledge with fellow youth-led, community-oriented, grassroots change-makers. This year’s training brought together 39 volunteers from 12 countries – Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Republic of North Macedonia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.