Bradford University (UK) Delegation Call On President Kabbah
By Yusuf Alghali
A five-man visiting delegation from the University of Bradford, UK, headed by the Director of the African Centre in the Department of Peace Studies, Dr. David Francis, today expressed readiness to collaborate with the University of Sierra Leone and the newly established military academy in Freetown towards developing a curriculum on peace education and human rights.

In discussions with President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah at the Lodge Friday, Sierra Leonean-born Dr. Francis, who along with his Bradford colleagues concluded a three-day peace seminar in Freetown this week, recalled the Head of State's appeal at the last university congregation for the University of Sierra Leone to help develop suitable curricula for peace, conflict and related studies.

He said the Bradford University's current mission to Sierra Leone was a response to the President's specific challenge thrown at the University for the development and incorporation of training programmes incorporating conflict resolution and peace building issues.

President Kabbah was appreciative of the offer of collaboration expressed by the visitors. He referred to his launching earlier this week of the Africanus Horton Armed Forces Academy in Freetown where he reiterated the need for close cooperation with the Fourah Bay College.

However, the President underlined the need for Sierra Leonean inputs in the process, stressing that now was the best time to concentrate on how to work together in this direction and move things forward.

Other members of the Bradford University delegation included Dr. Nick Lewer, Director, Centre for Conflict Resolution, Dr. Mohamed Faal, Lecturer in Peace Studies at the African Centre; Ugandan-born Brigadier Kale Kayihura and Ms. Helga Gibbons, Research Student, Peace Studies.

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