-Amb Juli Endee vows.
By: Jerromie S. Walters
Uninterrupted and persistent as she has been in her endeavor to effectuate and ensure the sustainability of the peace and security of Liberia, Amb. Juli Endee, the Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP), says she will continue to promote the peace, tradition and the value of Liberia.
For decades, Amb. Juli Endee has been of huge essentiality to the developmental process of Liberia, including traditional leaders. She has upheld the Liberian culture and tradition, and remains a liaison between the general public and the traditional people.
Her pledge to Liberia
In an exclusive interview with this paper, Amb. Juli Endee vowed to remain relentless, steadfast, and proactive with her quest for an uninterrupted and sustainable peace in Liberia, which she stated decades ago. “I will never get tired, I will continue to engage until God take away my life,” she promised.
The Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP), says if she is to make at least two request to God for Liberia, her prayer will be for an uninterrupted and sustainable peace, and sovereignty in Liberia.
She attributed this to the fact that she wants Liberia’s story to be told to the world as to how it has managed to maintain its peace since the civil unrest, as Africa’s pillar of hope, and for Liberia to maintain its supremacy as the first independent state in Africa.
Peace
Like the tradition and culture of Liberia, for decades, Amb Juli Endee has been relentless in her quest to ensure a peaceful Liberia. This has been vividly demonstrated through the Liberia Crusaders for Peace which has been in existence for over two decades.
Through her commitment, Liberia recently celebrated 20 years of uninterrupted peace, through the “KUKATORNON” “We Are One” peace initiative that was held in commemoration of the comprehensive peace agreement which ended the Liberia civil war on August 18, 2004, in Accra, Ghana.
This year’s edition was held by the Liberia Crusaders for Peace under the theme, Let’s sustain the peace”, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Liberia, on Friday August 18, 2023.
Twenty (20) years ago, on Christmas eve, December 24, 1989, Liberians and Foreign Residents listened to the most heart-breaking and disturbing news on the BBC, that Mr. Charles G. Taylor, leader of the defunct National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), reported that he and his rebel group had entered Liberia by way of Nimba County, in a Town called Butuo, situated on the Ivorian Border with Liberia to unseat Former President Samuel Kanyon Doe and his NDPL Government. This news went throughout the length and breadth of the Country with fear and terror.
FGM
Amb Juli Endee is unarguably one of the committed brains behind recent steps that have been taken by the National Traditional Council of Liberia, in an effort to end female genital mutilation in Liberia
Following decades of struggle to end the harmful practice of female genital mutilation in Liberia, the head of the Chiefs and Elders Council, Chief Zanzan Karwor, February 6, 2923, placed a permanent ban on the practice, and threatened drastic traditional punishments for traditional women who will violate the mandate.
In an official statement on the ban against the harmful practice, issued mid Monday, February 6, 2023, in Sonkay Town, Todee District, Montserrado County, Chief Zanzan Karwor declared a permanent ban on female genital mutilation in Montserrado County in commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)-2023.
The ban controversially covers all other counties but will be followed by major engagements with traditional women of the remaining 10 counties, as it was done in Montserrado, before taking full effect.
“With the power vested in me, I declare FGM banned, and no one has the authority to bring it back, not even those who will come to you and tell you to vote for them so they can bring it back,” he noted.
With the country and its partners recent quest to end female genital mutilation in Liberia, Amb. Endee says she sees it as a step in the right direction, and she’s convinced that the traditional people of Liberia are confining in the process.
“It’s resonating with the traditional people, and we are determine that the ban will be adhered to, and we look forward to the day that other countries around us will continue to emulate what Liberia has done, and I hope that the government and partners will continue to showcase the beauty of our culture.”
“I don’t have to have a title to be able to promote Liberian culture, I will continue to promote the tradition and the value of this land. I will continue to engage with the traditional people with the respect and dignity that I have for them, and I look forward so that Liberia can be a better place,” she vowed.
October 10, 2023, elections
“You have to tell the people what you have done and what you can do, it’s more about the manifesto and what you can do for the people,” she warns political actors against acts that have then propensity to create violence.
She frowned at acts of verbal, and physical intimation and abuse against women especially, in elections. He believes it’s wrong and needs to stop. “People need to stop harassing and intimidating people, because even verbal intimidation can cause mental health complication for people, so they needs to stop it, it’s wrong.” “Because everybody running for this government position, so it becomes a do or die.”
She said because more Liberians are eager for government positions, the euphoria of uncivil occurrence might not be brought to an end anytime soon. “As a social worker, I will continue to engage our people, that dialogue supersede all, let us continues to promote peace in our country.” She said.
“You have to sell yourself, your people have to sell you. You have to be marketable, if you are not marketable, people are not going to buy you, don’t try to bring chaos, we don’t need it, we want peace, we want a peaceful election, and at the end, whoever win, Liberia wins’ she urges.
“We all need to put our hands together to move Liberia forward. One nation, one people, we are all interrelated. Let us respect the leaders of our country, let us celebrate the diversity of our country.”
Amid controversies regarding her political affiliation, Amb. Endee clarifies that she has absolutely no membership with any political party, “I’m not a member of any political party, so what you think, what you don’t think, that’s your problem. What I know is that I will vote on elections day, but I will not share who I will vote for.”
Golden Image Award
Amb Juli Endee is the brain behind the peerless Golden Image Award which has grown to become one of the most sought-after accolades in its domain. As always, the recent edition left exquisite memories, and acknowledged the commitment of scores of proactive individuals, as it embodies the values and principles it stands for.
In its current environment of recognition and achievement, the Golden Image Award holds much prestige and significance and this esteemed accolade is bestowed upon individuals that have demonstrated exceptional commitment, innovation, and impact in their respective fields. With a rich history and a rigorous selection process, the Golden Image Award has become synonymous with excellence and serves as a benchmark for success.
The late hours of Thursday, July 20,, 2023, embraced individuals at the Monrovia City Hall Ball room, with a magnificent euphoria. This led to an instant verbal veneration of the award by the President of the Republic of Liberia, after he hailed the initiative, and described it as a national pride that promotes peace, unity, reconciliation, and development, and guaranteed his government support to the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP).
Liberia Crusaders for Peace
Amb Juli Endee is the Founder and Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders For Peace (LCP). The LCP is a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) organized in 1994.
It was registered under the laws of the Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs in 2001. Its office complex is located on Capitol By-pass, Monrovia adjacent the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Amb. Juli Endee is the Executive Director of the LCP.
The Executive Director is supported by a 42 staff member, 72 animators, 2248 mobilizers and 30 supervisors in the 15 counties of Liberia. The LCP is an advocacy and social mobilization organisation that promotes behaviour change and participatory communication through community dialogue and conversation, theatre, music and dance.
The LCP has implemented several projects for UNICEF, WFP, WHO, the Ministry of Health, TRC, LISGIS, UNMIL and is currently carrying out sensitization and awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS for the National AIDS-STI Control Program (NACP) Ministry of Agriculture Back to the Soil Campaign.
Some of the programs implemented in collaboration with partners listed above include; social mobilization for Polio Eradication, Back to School Campaign, Community Reintegration of Children Associated with Fighting Forces (CAFF), Let the Children Play and many other event-based activities such as the Day of the African Child, Breastfeeding Week and HIV/AIDS promotion and awareness; LCP also has vast experience in training
Specific deliverables of various training projects/activities include; training of trainers in Interpersonal communication skills (IPC), production of jingles, radio spots messages, and community based mobilization using arts, songs and theatre. Moreover, Crusaders for Peace is a member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Gender Committee.
