MONROVIA – Ambassador Juli Endee, the dedicated Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP), remains resolute in her unwavering commitment to foster and secure the lasting peace and security of Liberia while upholding the nation’s culture and traditions. Over the years, Ambassador Juli Endee has played a pivotal role in Liberia’s development, particularly in her interactions with traditional leaders, preserving Liberian culture and heritage, and serving as a bridge between the general public and traditional communities.

In an exclusive interview, Ambassador Juli Endee reiterated her determination to tirelessly pursue uninterrupted and sustainable peace in Liberia, a mission she embarked upon decades ago. She solemnly declared, “I will never tire, and I will continue to engage until God takes my life.” Her paramount prayer for Liberia encompasses two vital components: continuous peace and sovereignty. Her aspiration is for Liberia to stand as a beacon of hope for Africa and maintain its historical significance as the first independent state on the continent.

Championing Peace

Ambassador Juli Endee’s relentless pursuit of peace in Liberia has manifested through the Liberia Crusaders for Peace, an organization she has led for more than two decades. The organization recently marked 20 years of unbroken peace in Liberia with the “KUKATORNON” (“We Are One”) peace initiative. This event commemorated the comprehensive peace agreement that ended the Liberian civil war on August 18, 2004, in Accra, Ghana. The 2023 edition of this celebration, themed “Let’s Sustain the Peace,” was held at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Liberia.

Ambassador Juli Endee vividly recalls the dark days of December 24, 1989, when Liberia faced the ominous threat of civil unrest led by Charles G. Taylor. She acknowledges the progress made since those tumultuous times and aims to showcase Liberia’s remarkable journey towards peace to the world.

Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Ambassador Juli Endee has also played a crucial role in efforts to end the harmful practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Liberia. In February 2023, Chief Zanzan Karwor, head of the Chiefs and Elders Council, imposed a permanent ban on FGM in Montserrado County, marking a significant milestone in the fight against this harmful practice. While the ban initially applies to Montserrado County, plans are in place to extend it to other counties after extensive engagement with traditional women.

Ambassador Juli Endee views this as a positive step forward and believes that the traditional people of Liberia are embracing this change. She hopes that Liberia’s success in curbing FGM will serve as an example for neighboring countries and that the government and partners will continue to promote Liberia’s rich culture.

Promoting Peaceful Elections

As Liberia approaches the October 10, 2023, elections, Ambassador Juli Endee emphasizes the importance of peaceful campaigning. She encourages political actors to focus on their manifestos and qualifications rather than resorting to intimidation, violence, or harassment. She acknowledges the eagerness of many Liberians to participate in government positions but underscores the need for civil discourse and peaceful elections. Ambassador Juli Endee, as a social worker, remains committed to fostering dialogue and promoting peace during this critical time.

Golden Image Award

Ambassador Juli Endee is the driving force behind the prestigious Golden Image Award, which has become a highly sought-after accolade. The award ceremony, known for celebrating individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, innovation, and impact in their respective fields, has garnered national recognition and support, including praise from the President of Liberia. It has become synonymous with excellence and serves as a benchmark for success.

Liberia Crusaders for Peace

The Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP), founded and led by Ambassador Juli Endee, is a local non-governmental organization (NGO) established in 1994. Registered under Liberian law in 2001, the LCP operates throughout Liberia with a dedicated team of staff, animators, mobilizers, and supervisors. The LCP’s mission involves advocacy, social mobilization, and behavior change communication through various means such as community dialogues, theater, music, and dance.

Over the years, the LCP has implemented numerous projects in collaboration with organizations like UNICEF, WFP, WHO, and the Ministry of Health. These projects have covered a wide range of initiatives, including polio eradication, education campaigns, and HIV/AIDS awareness. The LCP is also an active participant in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Gender Committee.

In summary, Ambassador Juli Endee’s enduring dedication to the peace, culture, and traditions of Liberia is reflected through her leadership in the Liberia Crusaders for Peace, her role in ending FGM, her advocacy for peaceful elections, and her establishment of the prestigious Golden Image Award. Her contributions have left an indelible mark on Liberia’s development and cultural preservation.

Monrovia – The Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) and its partners have embarked on a nationwide peace festival to create awareness to the public in avoiding election violence as the country gets ready for election next year.

Election violence arising out of competitive elections has been particularly prevalent in countries with weak institutions, indicating that democratization may in fact increase nationalism and armed conflict.

The risk of election violence can be exacerbated in countries with notable societal and cultural diversity, as is the case with most African countries with Liberia not being exceptional.

Poor post-independence management of diversity in many African countries has contributed to marginalization, exclusion, political instability and incidents of conflict.

In 2011 there was election violence in Liberia when the main opposition political party Congress for Democratic Change’s (CDC) headquarters was stormed by violence crowd after the party back off the second round of the election.

In the spirit of preventing future electoral violence, the Executive Director of LCP Madam Juli Endee at a news conference said the nationwide peace festival was intended to help the government of Liberia and the National Elections Commission (NEC) as well as developing partners in mobilizing the general Liberian public in promoting lasting peace in Liberia.

She said the initiative was also intended to re-establishing the co-existence of cultural relations with all counties.

“The peace that Liberia enjoys must be sustained through nonviolence, durable peace, stability and the participation of all Liberians before, during and after elections campaign in Liberia,” she said.

Madam Endee Justified that Liberia was recovering from a protracted civil war, which had many actors, coupled with the low level of understanding and appreciation for basic tenets of human rights, peaceful co-existence among nations and democratic values. She said during the 14-year Liberian civil war, Liberians suffered tremendous losses in human lives, human resources, capital investments and infrastructural development.

“Sine qua non (essential condition) of transformation and development in every country around the world, it is indispensible to solidify the gains made over the last 10 years, hence the need for continuous support to local and traditional peace building initiatives and programs is paramount, peace-building embodies a vision of a society that is painful, respects and protects the of citizens and ensures that disputes and tensions which are normal to any society are handled in a way that prevents their escalation into organized violence,” she noted.

She said non-violence and lasting peace among Liberians during any elections was only assured when its people have a firm grasp and deep appreciation for those things and values that unite them as a people and void those things that tend to divide them.

She noted that while development community often looks to elections to stabilize and legitimize government, election related violence is a unique form of conflict and requires specially designed responses for effective prevention.

Ambassador Endee said no person should face death to cast a vote or for their choice made during elections, saying the ability of a country to successfully conduct non-violent elections was a crucial indicator of the consolidation of its democracy and a necessary condition for free, fair and citizen participation.

Monrovia – “She was an experienced multi-talented cultural artiste with skills in dancing, singing, dramatizing and training”.

These were some of the words used by the Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) Ambassador Juli Endee on June 4, 2016 as she  describe a fallen Liberian artiste, the late Christina P. Weah.

Speaking at the Sports Commission in Monrovia during a memorial service organized by the LCP to recognize the crucial role played by the deceased in accentuating the Liberian cultural and contributing to the viability of the LCP for 17 unbroken years, Amb. Endee disclosed that the late artiste career took her to several foreign countries to promote the Liberian culture.

 “Some of these arts and festivals include the Cultural Festival and Exchange held in Athens Greece, the Libyan Independent Day Cultural Festival held in 2000, the West African Tour in 2001 and the African Union Musical Concert that took place in Senegal few years ago,” Madam Endee expounded.

She named some of the major national events the deceased performed in as Liberia’s Independence Day Cultural Festivals held 2010 in Nimba and 2015 in Sinoe counties respectively, as well as the Annual Golden Image Award (GIA) organized by the LCP and executed by the GIA secretariat.

Amidst melodious eulogy, songs of hope/fortitude interspersed with danceable modern circular music unleashed by the LCP band at the day-long event, Amb. Endee intoned that at the LCP the late Christina affectionately known as ‘Paygar’ was one of the lead female cultural performer who played diverse role including providing on-the-stage coaching and direction to colleagues as well as taking part in producing jingles, songs and dramas.

Amb. Endee: “She also participated in several outreach and awareness activities as communicator in communities.”

Meanwhile, in an apparent respond to request by family members of the deceased for assistance to cater to the wellbeing of the four children left behind by the late Christiana, Liberia’s Traditional Queen Amb. Juli Endee who presented LD$100,000 to the mother of the deceased has employed the late Christiana Oldest son, Simah Weah in his middle 20s as direct replacement of his mother at the LCP.

She has also taken the responsibility to sponsor the deceased youngest son, Emmanuel Wleh a teen-ager through high school and up to his first year at a local university.

Earlier in her homily of exhortation on the theme ‘Work While It Is Day’ taking from the text John 9:4, the pastor of the Faith in Jesus Ministries Rev. Mot. Veronica Smith urged Christians to renew their devotion to the Almighty God.

She contended that too many people in this land have abandoned God and quit attending church services something the prelate notes is detrimental to their moral standing with God.

“Nobody knows the time or minute you will die like in the case of the late Christiana, so as the scripture commands, it is time for us to work for our salvation while we are alive so that when the bell of death sounds, we will be in right standing with the Almighty God.” She asserted.

More than 15 organizations including local cultural groups she earlier affiliated with, the Traditional Council, the Tribal Governor Council and former Information Minister, Rev. Emmanuel Bowier paid tribute to the fallen Liberian artiste who died at 46 years on May 18, 2016 following a brief period of illness. She was buried late May 2016 in Monrovia.

Monrovia – The Liberia-US Joint Clinical Research Partnership otherwise known as the Partnership for Research on the Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia (PREVAIL) which was launched in June 2015 in the country has yielded tremendous results as efforts continuous to speedily address gaps that could delay the Research.

It was against this backdrop PREVAIL’s Lead Community Engagement pilot led by the Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) Amb. Juli Endee and the Social Mobilization arm led by Mr. Bartholomew Wilson have jointly embarked on community engagement meeting/awareness with community, religious, traditional, youth leaders as well as Ebola Survivors across the country.

One of such gathering was held April 12, 2016 at the Administration Building in Kakata, Margibi County with stakeholders mentioned above at which time PREVAIL authorities revealed that while 1084 Ebola Survivors out of the targeted 1,500 have enrolled in the Medical Study, only 1,663 of their close contacts have so far enrolled in the medical Study. The Medical Research targets 6000 close contacts of Ebola Survivors for enrollment.

Mr. Wilson, presenting an update of the Research to an audience numbering over one hundred said, while PREVAIL was pleased with the up-to-date enrollment of Ebola Survivors with just 416 remaining to complete the targeted 1,500, more effort needed to be exerted to attract close contacts of Ebola Survivors in the Study, as a gap of 4337 persons current exist since only 1663 out of the targeted 6000 close contacts have so for enrolled in the Study.

Close contact of Ebola Survivors are people who provided care in many aspects to Ebola Survivors during the period of their (Ebola Survivors) illness there-by coming into physical contact with them. These include relatives, health givers, intimate/sexual partners and at times community trackers/volunteers.

Mr. Wilson also disclosed that during the period of enrollment, PREVAIL also conducted four sub-studies on Ebola Survivors which include the Birth Cohort, Eyes, hypotension/heart-blood pressure and Semen test for also Sexually Transmitted Disease adding that, some Ebola Survivors were diagnosed of these medical complications while others were diagnosed of minor sickness like diabetes and were all treated free of charge at government medical facilities.

Speaking Earlier, on behalf of the Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP), the Administrator of the LCP, Madam Yah Bryant emphasized that the renewed community engagement and awareness campaign also referred to as ‘contact of contact’ is aimed at sensitizing Ebola Survivors who already enrolled in the Medical Study to identify and encourage their close contacts to also enroll in the Study.

She noted that close contacts are pivotal to the success of the Medical Research and that Mobilizers and communicators of PREVAIL should intensify awareness in communities to attract close contacts into the Medical Study.

For his part, the President of the Ebola Survivors Network of Liberia Mr. Patrick Farley told fellow Survivors that his leadership which currently has branches in ten of the fifteen Counties has secured four pilot programs/activities to improve their welfare.

He named them as clinical care, food and supply nutrition, initiative to provide social mobilization for Survivors and a policy document that would prohibit discrimination of Ebola Survivors at medical centers.