16 years after terrorist attack

Memorial Park turns 16 at its best

By Erick Diang’a

Despite the wave of terrorism attacks, political instabilities, economic hurdles and other atrocities around the world, August 7^th Memorial Park has soared to witness year 2014 in its greener state.

The attainment of the admirable state since the Park’s inception under trustees’ tenure has relied mostly on well-wishers and corporate bodies that work towards maintaining the Park. Following the tragic bombing of the former US Embassy in 1998, the trust saw it worthwhile converting the site to a museum to remain a central place where peace initiatives find their roots.

The park on the other hand has welcomes people of all occupations to pay tribute to the nation and her people: populace has considered the Park as a place of rest with little distraction. The memorial garden, for a substantial period, has embraced revelation of youth talents by providing venues for artistic performances. Pageantry auditions, weddings, poetry and other social events have occasionally pitched tents at the park as a way of supporting peace and achieving acts of expression to audience.

Trade fairs held by most ventures and learning institutions have in one time or another reserved the Park for commercial exhibitions. Through such public fetes, the Park has managed to accommodate the interests of clients who seek for conference and boardrooms for hire. A good relationship between public and the Park has emanated from public interaction thereby integrating peace among individuals.

The tragedy has preoccupied minds of Kenyans; more so the immediate victims who either lost kin or felt bodily victims. The Park has offered a place for reflection and remembrance of those whose names still and will forever remain engraved on the memorial wall. Remembering may encompass forgiveness but might not necessarily wipe out the remarkable moments in one’s lifetime. Reconciliation is based on the initial happening that called for mediation; thus remembering isn’t ill if placed in a peaceful context.

National peace forums have found their venues at the park to equip the public with grassroots peace interventions to stall any similar attack that left 218 people lifeless; inflicting injuries to many both physical and metal. To further spread peace messages to even the younger generation, the Park initiated a children’s movement dubbed Peace Bouilders Kids Club. Schools in Nairobi County acquired membership by selecting a number of pupils to represent the entire school community. Through the mentorship of teachers in conjunction with Park’s recommended children trainers, children design handworks to reiterate significance of peace in the society.

With the stride to New Year 2014, more ideas that are peaceful are of essence to retain the country’s peace. Challenges faced in 2013 will be used to strengthen the 2014 journey. The trust fraternity will keep the need of its people in mind and to ensure that service provision get improved in accordance with the strategies implemented by trustees.

Peace is a global prerogative and remains the sole tool to protect humankind, it is well put by Fred Rogers who quotes, “When I say it’s you  I like, I’m talking about that part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see or hear or touch. That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate, peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than greed.”