Students take the issue of War into their own hands

While the ICC debate the future of the warlord, Thomas Lubanga - accused of recruiting child soldiers and while 63% of young people in the UK express extreme concern with the issue of war, it is very timely that a high profile conference is being held for young people and ex-child soldiers to discuss the issue in Westminster.

On Monday 30th June, the annual Global Student Forum (GSF) for Sixth formers, in association with War Child, will take place at the Emmanuel Centre, Westminster.

This year, War Child - the UN Award winning charity who protect children in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones - is the associated charity for the event and will be facilitating on workshops focused on issues such as the effects conflict-related poverty on children – in particular the recruitment of child soldiers.

Three former child soldiers will attend the conference, including musician Ben Okafor, now 53, who was enlisted in the brutal Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967-70.

Other special guests include Norman Kember, the peace activist held hostage in Iraq in 2005, but later released in 2006 by British Special Forces.

Quotes

Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development
"I am delighted that DFID is sponsoring this event, helping the next generation better understand the world they will inherit and the meaningful contribution that they personally can make to reducing poverty."

Caroline Armitage, Schools Programme Manager, War Child UK.
"As an organization, we believe that students in this country care a lot about global issues such as conflict-related poverty and it is always our aim to give young people a voice. In our own schools programme we encourage students to learn about the issues surrounding conflict and then take a proactive approach in tackling them. We are delighted that we are able to replicate this via the forum"

NOTE TO EDITORS

War Child information

• War Child was founded in 1993 in response to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. A UN award winning charity, it works with local partner organizations in places acutely affected by conflict, with some of the most hard-hit children in conflict and post-conflict zones around the world
• 66% of all people killed by war are children
Iraq –2 million children have been displaced since 2003
Afghanistan- 1 in 4 children die before the age of 5
Democratic Republic of Congo – 2.7 million children under 5 have died due to the war
Uganda – Over 30,000 children were abducted during the conflict
• The Global Student Forum exists to enable school students, of all faiths and none, to think carefully about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues underlying global citizenship, and to help others to do the same.The
• Global Student Forum is owned and operated by The Damiris Trust (an educational charity with a Christian foundation, but serving people of all faiths and none)
• The British Museum has agreed to mount the Throne of Weapons on the GSF2008 stage - a visual reminder of the possibility of turning tools of conflict into tools of peace. The throne was made by the Mozambican artist Cristovao Canhavato (Kester) from decommissioned weapons collected since the end of the civil war in 1992.
• Held each year since 2005, the Global Student Forum is run in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID).
• World Vision and Christian Aid are the main sponsors for the GSF event this year.
• For more information visit www.damiris.org

For more information and to obtain press accreditation contact

Sarah Gwonyoma (Press Officer) sarahg@warchild.org.uk    020 7916 9276