A GPFF advance team, led by chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, met last Tuesday 29 June with Kenyan Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka in Nairobi. The meeting was one of several with political and religious leaders, including President Kibaki, to make preparations for the upcoming Global Peace Festival and Convention in Nairobi this November.

At the meeting, Vice President Musyoka agreed to be chief guest at the International Youth Leadership Conference (IYLC), one of the three major events GPFF is holding in November. The Vice President is especially interested to encourage young Kenyan professionals to look beyond their own career success to contribute to a new Kenya. Kenyans will vote on August 4 in a referendum on a draft constitution that will have huge significance for the country’s future.

The constitution is aimed at addressing, among other issues, the ethnic violence that killed over 1200 people in the wake of the 2007 national elections. The next elections will be in 2012 and Kenyans are anxious to do everything possible to avoid renewed political violence.

GPFF’s activities in the country flourished from 2008 since they were aimed at tackling tribal divisions with a particular focus on character education and leadership training for youth and community leaders, and on mobilizing schools and civic organizations in environmental projects such as the Nairobi River and Nairobi Dam clean ups.

This work has won the backing of the Kenyan government. In addition to Vice President Musyoka’s role with the IYLC, President Kibaki will be the patron of the November Global Peace Convention and Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be patron of the Global Peace Festival.