Champions of Peace Youth and Women Initiative

28/08/2026

📢𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡, 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝟏

The Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, in partnership with the Champions of Peace Youth and Women Initiative, supported by the Naijayouthfund, would be conveying its first series of online policy dialogues to amplify diverse voices and generate practical recommendations for a policy paper on youth and peacebuilding to strengthen the implementation of Nigeria’s Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda.

𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟑 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 𝟑𝐩𝐦 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞
𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞? 𝐙𝐨𝐨𝐦 (𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬)

We invite young peacebuilders, policymakers, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, academics, development partners, security practitioners, and all interested stakeholders in Nigeria to join this important conversation, as the dialogue will explore how we can strengthen meaningful youth participation in governance, peace processes, conflict resolution, and policymaking, in communities, and national levels.

Your voice and experience matter, and your participation can shape policy.
Join us and be part of the conversation for a more inclusive and peaceful Nigeria.

Register here: https://forms.gle/xvwZ7anhipjVH3Lm8

28/08/2026

Thank God It's Friday

As we wrap up the activities for the week and aspire for a new week, we pause to be grateful for every milestone that has been achieved and for every creative idea that springs forth, understanding and kindness that strengthen not just the community but the society at large, and motivational effort that draws and triggers us closer to building a peaceful Nation.

As part of our beliefs at the Champions of Peace, Youth and Women Network, peacebuilding is beyond a destination, as it is something we build every day through dialogue, inclusion, education, and meaningful action.

As we close the week and look forward to the new week, choose words that heal rather than words that break down the dignity and integrity of humanity, actions that build excellence, and courage that unites and inspires others to be Champions of

Happy Friday from all of us at the Champions of Peace Network!

26/08/2026

𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏, 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆!

On Saturday, 22 August 2026, the founder of the Champions of Peace Youth and Women Initiative and Executive Director of the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Rafiu Adeniran Lawal, received an award for Peacebuilding and National Unity at the International Youth Day 2026 Honours and Award Ceremony organised by the Nigeria Police Force.

The Inspector- General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), presented the award in recognition of his outstanding dedication, impact, and contribution to Peacebuilding, National Unity, and Youth development in Nigeria.
We are highly proud and thrilled to celebrate our Founder and Executive Director as one of Nigeria’s Esteemed Youths.

We congratulate you, Sir, Rafiu Adeniran Lawal, on this well-deserved honour!
Your work continues to inspire, create impact, and advance the cause of .

21/08/2026

03/08/2026

𝗞𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗮𝗰 𝗢𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 (𝗪𝗔𝗣𝗦𝗲𝗗) 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

Given the constraints faced by national authorities, there is growing recognition among scholars and policymakers of the insufficiency of national-level interventions as the sole mechanism for managing peace and security. Local violence, often manifesting in ethnic clashes, resource-based disputes, or community mobilisation through armed groups, frequently escapes the reach or adequate under-standing of national governments.

Similarly, conflicts with transnational features, such as cross-border insurgencies, trafficking, and refugee flows, necessitate regional coordination to prevent spill overs and to mount coherent responses. Regional organisations, due to their geographical and political proximity, provide frameworks for collective action and normative enforcement that transcend state boundaries.

Local actors, simultaneously, embody contextual knowledge, legitimacy, and direct stakes in peace building, which are crucial to achieving sustainable outcomes. Thus, multi-tiered engagement encompassing local ownership complemented by national and regional partnership has emerged as a preferred paradigm for addressing the layered peace and security challenges in West Africa…

Read more here: https://www.bbforpeace.org/publications/keynote-address-delivered-by-prof-isaac-olawale-albert-at-the-west-africa-peace-and-security-dialogue-wapsed-2025

Wishing you a great and weekend.

PeopleBuilldingPeace

03/08/2026

📢 𝗕𝗕𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗦𝗘 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮

We are thrilled to announce that , the Regional Secretariat of in West Africa, is implementing the CLIMPSE project aimed at advancing locally-led climate-sensitive peacebuilding.

Climate change continues to reshape communities across the globe, and local peacebuilders are often the first to witness its impacts and the first to respond. Yet, despite their critical role in addressing climate-related challenges, their experiences and solutions are too often overlooked in global climate, peace, and security discussions.

The 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗦𝗘 initiative is changing this narrative by connecting local expertise with regional and global policymaking, ensuring that community-driven peacebuilding solutions inform decisions beyond local
borders.

Through 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗦𝗘, two key goals will be advanced:

🌍 Strengthening the Capacity of Local Peacebuilders
By deepening understanding of the connections between climate, peace, and security, local peacebuilders will gain the knowledge and practical skills needed to design and implement climate-sensitive peacebuilding initiatives. Through peer learning and collaboration within the GPPAC
network, participants will exchange experiences and strengthen their collective response to climate-related security challenges.

🤝 Amplifying Local Knowledge to Influence Policy
CLIMPSE creates pathways for local peacebuilders to engage meaningfully with regional and global policymakers. This ensures that climate-sensitive peacebuilding policies, practices, and systems are
informed by the realities, experiences, and solutions emerging directly from affected communities.

BBFORPEACE remains committed to promoting sustainable peace, strengthening community resilience, and ensuring that local voices are at the forefront of shaping climate, peace, and security policies for a
more peaceful and climate-resilient future.

03/08/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧!

As we step into this new month, Building Blocks for Peace Foundation wishes you renewed hope, fresh opportunities, and the courage to keep building a more peaceful and inclusive world.

Every act of kindness, every dialogue, and every effort toward understanding brings us one step closer to lasting peace.Together, let's continue to inspire positive change, strengthen our communities, and champion a future where everyone can thrive.

Here's to a month filled with purpose, progress, and .

Happy New Month from all of us at BBFORPEACE! 💙