The role of cultural activities in fostering peace and social cohesion has been approached as a subtopic in several past editions of à propos. However, in this September 2024 issue, we delve deeper into our contributors’ various interpretations of culture and explore how they harness its potential for peacebuilding.
UNESCO describes culture as encompassing the spiritual, material, intellectual, and emotional characteristics that define a society, including its arts, lifestyle, human rights, value systems, traditions, and beliefs. While culture can contribute to understanding and unity, it can also become a source of tension, especially when its expressions are not tolerated, accepted, or instrumentalized to justify politically motivated violence.
Despite its ambivalent nature, this edition emphasizes the positive impacts of culture. Accordingly, it explores both the theories and practical strategies for effectively leveraging the potential of culture. From the necessity of cultivating a culture of peace to the involvement of diverse art forms, cultural exchanges, and culinary traditions, it shows that culture can provide a solid ground for dialogue and mutual understanding—key ingredients for achieving and nurturing peaceful coexistence.
I wish you a pleasant read.
Sanjally Jobarteh, editor of KOFF magazine