...Academics, practitioners, experts, civil society leaders, youth representative and security sector actors to examine progress on implementing child protection instruments. Kigali, Nov 24, 2023 – The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, a global leader in preventing the recruitment and use of children in armed violence, has announced that its annual symposium will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from November 27 -29, 2023. The three-day event is titled ‘Placing Children at the Heart of Peace and Security: From Vision to Action.’ This year’s symposium will gather partners and key stakeholders to explore opportunities of strengthening and advancing the children peace and security agenda globally. Similar to the format of the Institute’s Knowledge for Prevention Symposium, the precursor of this year’s event, there will be a series of panel sessions over the three days. The sessions will explore several child protection instruments and chart a course for increased institutional action on regional and global implementation. The panelists include representatives of regional and international groups including the UN, the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and child protection experts from Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, among others. Dr. Shelly Whitman, the Executive Director of the Dallaire Institute, noted that “The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security has been working for over a decade, to place children’s protection at the heart of peace and security and Rwanda is a key partner on this journey. This makes us proud to proud to host the Dallaire institute’s 5th Vancouver Principles anniversary in Kigali. We commend the progress that has been made globally, but as the recent UN Secretary-General’s report on Children and Armed Conflict reveals, children continue to be disproportionately affected by armed conflict. By convening different local, regional, and international stakeholders from over 20 countries to assess key child protection instruments, we hope to identify and support sustainable action to end child recruitment and use”. This year’s Dallaire Institute symposium will be followed by a specialized Early Warning to Early Action workshop on November 30 to continue to find means to place the prevention of the recruitment and use of children within the continental early warning systems. ### About the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security Founded by renowned humanitarian and former Canadian Forces Lieutenant General, Roméo Dallaire, the Dallaire Institute was created with the unique premise that preventing violence against children requires a dual lens that is focused on prioritizing the protection of children, as well as understanding the significant operational impacts upon security sector actors. As co-developers and custodians of The Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers, we advise governments and multilateral partners on integrating the principles into security sector governance. The Institute also hosts a prestigious Tier 1 Canada Research Chair on International Peace, Security and Children and offers undergraduate and graduate courses that will lead to the creation of a certificate program on children, peace and security. Through academic and practitioner training, and community engagement, the Dallaire Institute’s interdisciplinary and applied research advances innovative strategies for preventing the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts and violence. The Dallaire Institute is supported through private, public, and international contributions. For Media Enquiries, please contact: Tosin Akin-Ogundeji Communications and Public Relations Manager Tosin@dallaireinstitute.org
