MURTALA TOURAY
THE GAMBIA
Sponsor Club: Rotary Club of Sebastapol Sunrise, District 5130, USA
Country of Citizenship: The Gambia
Undergraduate degree : University of Limoges - MA; Usman dan Fodio University - BA Hons.
Murtala's Presentation at the 2009 Peace Seminar at Bradford - Part 1
Murtala's Presentation at the 2009 Peace Seminar at Bradford - Part 2
Original Background Information about Murtala
I am from The Gambia, situated in West Africa. I hold a B.A. honours (French major) with a second class upper from the Usman Dan Fodio University in Nigeria as well as a M.A. in Comparative Literature with specialisation on Gambian literary works from the University of Limoges in France. I started my work experience as a graduate trainee librarian at the Gambia National Library while at the same time volunteering as an advocacy assistant for a charity called Centre for Children’s Rights . I decided to opt for a career change in peace and conflict resolution as result of my passion for working with people and alleviating human sufferings.
Before enrolling into the peace studies programme of the University of Bradford, I worked with the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) as a programme and administrative assistant. Until recently, I was employed at the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) where I served as the zonal coordinator for Zone One overseeing four countries in West Africa (Gambia, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Senegal) in a bid to operationalise the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) Warning and Response Network known as the ECOWARN. I have travelled widely in Africa attending various workshops, seminars, meetings and conferences as a participant and resource person.
Highlights of Achievements
I was instrumental in the setting up of the first-ever nationwide Gambian civil society coalition to not only observe national elections in The Gambia but also conduct voter and civic education in order to raise electorates’ awareness. I was involved in a three year sub-regional project aimed at civilian involvement in the voluntary submission of arms in conflict-prone and crime-infested areas. I contributed meaningfully in the preparation of documents and logistics for the establishment of the first network of national electoral commissions in West Africa with the aim of promoting credible and violent-free elections. I was the focal person for WANEP in the Africa Human Security Initiative (AHSI) project funded by DFID and led by the Institute for Security Studies based in South Africa.
Reasons for Applying for RWPF
During my years in the field, I have realised the need to deepen my theoretical understanding about peace and conflict in order to use research findings as the basis for intervention. I found out that the Rotary World Peace Fellowship (RWPF) was the best to address my academic aspirations and provide the relevant social network to make a difference in the world.
After Graduation
Upon completion of my RWPF, I intend to continue working in the area of conflict transformation and human security in Africa both as a practitioner and a researcher. I do have strong interest in contributing towards the accumulation of knowledge with the view of providing new frameworks and paradigms to better understand and resolve African conflicts so that sustainable development can be realised and people will live and work in peace and dignity.
Language skills : Fluency in Wolof (my native language), English, French and Krio (the lingua france in Sierra Leone), with some understanding of Mandinka, Arabic and Hausa.
Awards: Gambia Goverment’s Scholarship, French Government Scholarship, The CLEEN Foundation Fellowship, Rotary World Peace Fellowship