The American University of Nigeria (AUN) is proud to announce that its Ubuntu4Peace team has been selected to participate in the prestigious Peacebuilding Challenge, hosted by the Manara Center for Peace and Dialogue in Abu Dhabi and managed by EdVenture Partners in the United States.
Currently in Dubai, the team is representing both AUN and Nigeria on the global stage, showcasing their innovative project, “The Common Ground Initiative.”
This student-led initiative has made a remarkable impact in promoting peaceful coexistence, environmental sustainability, and community resilience in the Bole and Angwan Makafi communities of Yola South, Adamawa State. It directly addresses three pressing regional challenges: farmers-herders clashes, water scarcity, and deforestation.
Through mediation workshops held in local schools and communities, the team fostered understanding and cooperation between farmers and herders, effectively reducing conflict. To combat water scarcity, they implemented sustainable water solutions, including borehole installations and rehabilitations, ensuring equitable access to clean water while easing competition over scarce resources. A carefully structured community taxation system was also introduced to sustain these efforts long-term.
In addition, the team led a community-driven reforestation campaign aimed at mitigating rising temperatures, restoring degraded land, and raising climate awareness through tree-planting initiatives in both schools and residential areas.
Rooted in the Ubuntu philosophy, “I am because we are,” the initiative champions youth participation, collective action, and community ownership.
The Ubuntu4Peace team comprises Mr. Isaac Utsewa, Team Lead; Ms. Bilkisu Alkali, Spokesperson; Ms. Temiloluwa Giwa, Head of Research; Ms. Hadiza Shehu, Public Relations; Mr. Sabastine Samuel, Budgeting and Finance; and Prof. Peter Genger, Faculty Advisor.
Mr. Isaac, a final-year Information Systems student, emphasized the initiative’s broader significance. "Our generation has a responsibility to shape a peaceful and sustainable future. Through Ubuntu4Peace, we are not just addressing conflicts but also tackling the environmental and resource challenges that fuel them. The Common Ground Initiative is a call for unity, action, resilience, and sustainability, proving that when schools and communities work together, peace is possible.”
Ms. Bilkisu, a third-year Law student, added, “our aim is to create a blueprint for coexistence, environmental stewardship, and resource equity. This initiative aspires to empower schools, communities, cultivate peace, and build a sustainable future where people and nature thrive together as a common ground for coexistence.”
Prof. Peter Genger also highlighted the need for broader collaboration. “We urge government bodies, NGOs, and private sector partners to join us in expanding the reach and impact of this initiative.”