New Race for Peace
Who knew a horse race could be a first step in working towards peace?
A beautiful photo essay on the BBC website describes how a traditional equestrian festival in Darfur was recently used as a unique place to promote peace and reconciliation. Darfuris are infatuated with horses and most are skilled horsemen and breeders, so using this festival to reconcile differences is particularly meaningful. During the festival races, food, and dancing brought people together, with men and women performing songs and dances that are centuries old.
The four-day gathering included leaders from both Arab and black African groups, and attempted to reconcile the two groups. The five-year-old conflict has been driven by competition for access to scarce water supplies and arable land, has killed at least 300,000 people and left more than two million as refugees.
The organizer of the event is Walid Madibo, from the largest Arab tribe in Darfur, one which has remained impartial in the conflict. He is leading his tribe in a proactive effort to restore peace through reconstructing trade and the economy, including hosting this traditional festival.
He says that “empowering civil society is the only way forward.”
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