PeaceGeeks, Amnesty International and the SFU African Students' Association are hosting a community talk next week, and we were wondering if you could share this with your networks? We really appreciate all the help!



Intersection of Independent Journalism & Elections in DRC

Date: Wednesday, 24 October 2018

Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PST


HiVE Vancouver

128 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC


FREE event, refreshments provided


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What does it take to ensure an honest and fair election in a country strife with corruption, exploitation, and armed conflict? Can elevating the voices of independent journalists foster transparency and open dialogue, or simply increase polarization in an already divided nation?

These are just a few of the questions facing the Democratic Republic of Congo as it heads towards its election in December. Though widely unreported, the DRC is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. Amid this crisis, PeaceGeeks, in collaboration with the African Student Association and Bunia Actualite are proud to host an engaging talk surrounding the challenges and opportunities facing the DRC ahead of its general election in December, and the important role of independent journalism.


PANELISTS


King Solomon is an SFU International Relations major who arrived to Canada from the DRC as a refugee in 2009. Since then, he's helped establish the website buniaactualite.com; one of the only independently-run news organizations in the DRC. Since its conception in Oct 2017, the grassroots news organization Bunia Actualité has gained significant traction both on its website, and its Facebook page (started in 2015), which has over 111,000 followers.


Gaius Kowene is an award-winning journalist, Digital Rights activist and Youth Participation advocate from Congo DRC. He travels across Africa to uncover stories of ordinary people with extraordinary achievements. His works have been published by the BBC, Radio France International, the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and more. With the support of Yole!Africa, a grassroots organization empowering young people through art and culture, Gaius Kowene initiated the community of bloggers from Goma, BloGoma, an informal group of Congolese web activists fighting for Internet rights with organizations like Internet Without Borders, AccessNow, the Digital Rights Foundation and more. As a member of CIVICUS: World Alliances for Citizen Participation’s Youth Action Team, he advises civil society organizations worldwide on best ways to get young people involved in the decision making and implementation process. He is also an active member of several Pan-African circles such as the African Youth Movement, the league of African web activists Africtivistes.


Babaluku is a Ugandan rapper, musician, producer, community youth activist and social entrepreneur who raps in Luganda. He is the founder of "the Bavubuka Foundation, an organization committed to restoring hope and healing in communities. Bavubaka Foundation uses music and the arts to connect youth and empower them to become peace building community builders. They are dedicated to creating spaces and educational programs that nurture and empower a new generation of young leaders, in Uganda and all of Africa, who will use their voices to communicate positive messages and affect positive change in their communities and the world.


This event is moderated by Peter Wood, who currently manages the David Suzuki Foundation’s Blue Dot campaign, which seeks to enshrine environmental rights within Canada’s constitution. He has worked on a variety of issues at the nexus of environmental and human rights for over 15 years, including for organizations such as West Coast Environmental Law, Global Witness, IISD, and the UN.


Please RSVP for this event at: peacetalks.eventbrite.com.

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For more information, questions or concerns, feel free to contact me by email at cherrie@peacegeeks.org, or visit our website at peacegeeks.org for other events and opportunities.