Executive Director of non-profit organization Reach Out Cameroon, Esther Omam has dedicated the 2023 Global Pluralism Award to internally displaced persons (IDP’s), conflict victims and community champions in the restive North West and South West regions of the country.
The avid human rights defender and internationally recognized peace-builder made the declaration Tuesday November 14, 2023 in Ottawa, Canada as she mounted the stage to receive her award.
The event was organized by international independent charitable organization, Global Centre for Pluralism to award her dedication and sacrifices in efforts to bridge the gaps of social injustices, inequalities, marginalization and discrimination suffered by the most vulnerable populations.
Receiving the award, Omam said she was honoured and humbled as she was singled from among 200 submissions across 60 countries, following a rigorous process by an international jury.
Esther Omam thanked the Global Centre for Pluralism team and members of the international jury, for what she described as a once in a lifetime experience.
“Recognition and appreciation of three decades of hard work, sacrifices and resilience” she said while describing the award.
“It is for me and all those who have been going through pains and sufferings as well as those who have passed on. I equally dedicate this award to our community champions from diverse backgrounds, call them the apostles of peace and women peacebuilders. All those who, indiscriminately are at the forefront of life saving actions. I equally dedicate this award to you the victims of this war, you the refugees, the internally displaced and the homeless” Omam said.
She also expressed her appreciation to her husband and children for their unending support despite the challenges and also to all those who worked to ensure the dream came to fruition.
During the event, she told guests that the award was a testimony of the “resilience, dedication and sacrifices of our Board of Directors, my collaborators, women peacebuilders, partners, friends and allies and myself standing before you today to see that we build just and peaceful communities; despite the many challenges”.
According to the Reach Out Cameroon Founder, the award reminds her of the task awaiting her and the team, that of “strengthening community systems and pushing back all these negatives in order to push forth good practices such as community dialogues that help build relationships across ethnic, religious, economic and political divides”.
She also declared that the award was a source of hope, confidence and commitment to keep striving to empower her compatriots to “learn to live together in the crisis and with the crisis while searching for pathways of peace and fight against violent extremism and Gender Based Violence”.
She insisted that such initiatives could be achieved by addressing the root causes of issues plaguing the society while treating every man and woman with respect and dignity.
“I won’t relent because we are nothing without each other” she pledged before the spectators during the event.