“Be, young people, like the good gardener who knows that, for a tree to grow tall and spread its branches in every direction, it needs deep and strong roots. So, firmly rooted in yourselves, you can open yourselves to the world without fear or harm, both to give and to receive.”
Amadou Hampâté Bâ, Lettre à la Jeunesse, 1985
The starting point of the Voice4Thought Academy is that sustainable peace in the Sahel begins with strengthening and activating young people. The Academy is based on the idea that young people’s identity is rooted in self-knowledge, which is found in the history and sociology of their environment. By getting to know their environment, history and community better, they gain greater insight into themselves, become capable of self-reflection and, from there, develop their own voice.
Knowledge production in the form of art and (small-scale) scientific research are the means through which this process is supported. They offer young people the opportunity to explore and question their own environment, to express themselves, to develop a critical perspective and to share their knowledge and perspectives with a wider audience. Art and knowledge are therefore the roots through which young people in the Sahel can anchor themselves in their own history and community, and from there make their voices heard and actively contribute to the decision-making and social developments that shape and determine their local, regional and international future.
By providing access to these means, the Voice4Thought Academy strengthens young people’s self-confidence, leadership and influence within their living environment. Through the Maisons des Jeunes et de la Culture (MJC) , local youth and cultural centres, and social networks, they grow into active participants and influencers within their communities.
In the long term, this can lead to regional youth movements that take their own initiatives and play a role in peace processes and social cohesion.
Voice4Thought primarily acts as a facilitator, while young people themselves increasingly take ownership of the process. The starting point of the Academy programme is always that young people themselves formulate the questions, subjects and themes that matter to them and that they consider important. In this way, the Voice4Thought Academy contributes to a movement of autonomous, inclusive and well-informed young people who shape change themselves and contribute to the dynamics of peace in the Sahel.
Storytelling
At the foundation of the V4T Academy Mali are stories. The power of creating stories and sharing them is manifold, including:
- By telling stories, you get to know the other and increase understanding of their experience and perspective.
- By listening to stories, the storyteller is recognised and their voice is given meaning and space.
- Stories make experiences and perspectives visible that might otherwise not be heard or understood.
- Stories open up and invite dialogue. They create space to listen to one another, exchange experiences and place different perspectives alongside each other. This can increase trust between the parties involved and bring groups closer together.
- By sharing stories, people can recognise themselves in each other’s experiences. In this way, connection and mutual understanding can arise, even when people have different backgrounds or perspectives.
At the Academy, young people tell new stories, from their perspective, based on their own research. By telling these stories, they also pass on history, while at the same time looking towards the future with a critical perspective. In this way, they give shape to the issues that matter to them, their living environment and society at large, both for the present and for the future of Mali.
