The Forum of Bandiagara project

The Bandiagara Youth Peace and Security Action Forum is a response to the multidimensional conflicts that Mali is currently facing, in which young people are heavily involved. It is a project that aims to reduce the strong appeal of armed groups to youth and to prevent youth radicalization and violent extremism, while empowering them to play a central role in addressing these issues. The project aims to train and strengthen the capacities of young people in the region and to create a platform for reflection on how youth can effectively contribute to the creative transformation of conflicts through concrete actions, while promoting sustainable development.

 

As a first step, the project will provide leadership training, community engagement workshops, and digital competence training to empower young people to become agents of social change. The Forum will include conferences, workshops and thematic recommendations that will be presented in plenary sessions during the closing ceremony. These recommendations will be compiled into a manifesto and presented to local and regional authorities.

 

The follow-up of the Forum will include the establishment of a platform to encourage the submission of proposals, to promote community development and to support the initiatives of the participating young people in each of the key sectors discussed at the Forum. For long-term sustainability, the Forum aims to be expanded nationally and regionally within the next five years.