Wavin' Flags...

Greetings from Cairo! My path seems to have meandered back here yet again... This time to conduct research with Somalis on their contributions to peacebuilding in Somalia.

This is actually the second stop on a four-part research journey that began in Sweden in late May. While there I met with a few NGO workers and community members before attending a conference on "Democratic Governance and Sectarian Politics in Somalia" in Lund. Oh and of course I had a glorious weekend of hiking in a national park along the way...

Now, the interviews begin. Hopefully with about 20 people in Cairo, Nairobi and London who are actively working for peace, whether through dialogue of some form (blogging, organizing community events, setting up informal groups etc) or through sharing resources (remittances, time, skills) to support peace. This is how I'm occupied for a three-month "Applied Field Experience" as part of my fellowship, and I'm pleased to say that I'm learning tons!!! I'm writing my dissertation on this topic, and hope to use much of the interviews in the process. I'm grateful to Rotary yet again for their support of this project!

July 1st was both Somalia Independence Day (the 50th Anniversary!!!) and Canada Day... hence the title of this entry. Here in Cairo there was a huge Somali celebration at the Opera House with speeches, drama, poetry and music. It was a flutter of dazzling dresses and blue flags... the seats full of youth that perhaps comprise the majority of the Somali community in Cairo, and a beautiful buzz in the audience...


(As you must know, "Wavin' Flag" is also the World Cup theme song written by Somali-Canadian K'naan... fitting given the football hype at the moment, as well as how his dual nationality correlates with the two countries of my heart).

Speaking of football Brazil and Holland are about to play...more from Kenya!