Presentation of the International Trophy "Young Talent" to Max Fontaine for the actions of Bôndy

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Among the objectives of sustainable development, peace education is today an essential principle for all countries of the world. It is complementary to citizenship education since both aim to improve life within and between peoples.

Peace education is a principle applied by many organizations and businesses, both large and small, in many regions. 

In Madagascar, several initiatives are working, either directly or indirectly, for the establishment of peace: peace between people and peace with the environment or nature.

It is in this context that the Social Enterprise Bôndy, represented by its CEO Max Fontaine, attended the 22nd International Conference on Peace Education in November 2022 in Seville (Andalusia, Spain) to receive the International Trophy "Young Talent" award.

To what extent are Bôndy's activities part of peace education according to the objectives of sustainable development and what was its message during this event?

The Association Escuela Cultura de Paz (School of Peace Culture)

The Escuela Cultura de Paz is a non-profit organization located in Seville, Spain.

It is also a development cooperation agency and an advisory body to the United Nations on issues related to women and youth.

After twenty-two years of serving the education of Andalusian youth (children and adolescents) without social distinction, it was granted the status of special advisory body to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in July 2014.

While it began as a group of teachers, its work with youth has led to a broader awareness in the communities where it operates. 

Its actors are involved in working for peace, respect for human rights, tolerance and democracy. 

Since 2011, the Escuela Cultura de Paz has been conveying these principles with and to young people, through sports, music and volunteer work.

The 22nd International Conference on Peace Education in Seville

On November 21, 2022, the Andalusian Parliament hosts the XXII Conference of the School of Culture of Peace in Seville. 

This annual event focuses on the values of education through sports, music and volunteerism.

Among the participants, there will be mainly young people from all walks of life, both high school and university students, whose example illustrates the urgency to act positively to provide a better environment for future generations.

An international vision that identifies peace initiatives

In its calendar, the 22nd International Conference on Peace Education traditionally takes a moment to recognize local and foreign initiatives committed to creating solutions for a peaceful society.

It promotes diversity through the knowledge of other cultures and the strengthening of of each individual (children, youth and adults) in their role as actors and citizens of the world through actions for a more united and fairer world.

Indeed, "It is from the debate and sharing of ideas that the best initiatives are born, the most coordinated and those that will provide the best solutions to society."(Article Parliament of Andalusia of 21/11/2022)

For the 2022 edition of this conference, the actions for peace and prosperity undertaken in Madagascar were particularly praised with : 

- the "International Prize for work in favor of the culture of peace and human rights", awarded to Father Pedro Opeka, candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. A Lazarist missionary who has been active in Madagascar for more than fifty years, his fight against poverty is one of the greatest achievements in Madagascar, including the well-known Cité Akamasoa.

- the "Paloma de Plata" Award presented to Hasnaine Yavarhoussen, Spanish consul in Madagascar and general manager of the Malagasy family group Filatex. For several years, the Filatex Group has contributed to the social and economic development of Madagascar by providing employment and exploiting the country's natural resources to support sustainable development.

- the "Young Talent" prize awarded to Max Fontaine, CEO and founder of the social enterprise Bôndy. Originally from Madagascar, he left his native island at the age of 17 to study business administration in Canada. Sensitive to the situation in Madagascar, he decided to return to the country five years later to take action and have a concrete impact on the environment and the improvement of the conditions of the rural population.

Scope of the International Trophy "Young Talent" at the Parliament of Seville

The Young Talent Award recognizes individuals and entities that can be considered as role models for young people. 

It rewards the innovative angle of Bôndy's actions for the reforestation and development of rural communities. 

During his speech at the Andalusian Parliament, Max Fontaine addressed the youth present, as the Young Talent selected during this event.

Through the story of the Bôndy project, he testified to the will of young people to make things happen in the face of the consequences suffered by countries of the South such as Madagascar.

View on reforestation and rural development in Madagascar

Reforestation

In order to talk about reforestation in Madagascar, we must first take stock of deforestation. 

From 2001 to 2020, Madagascar lost 4.13 million hectares of tree cover, which is equivalent to a 24% decrease in tree cover since 2000 (according to AdCom Madagascar 2022).

The main causes of reforestation are slash-and-burn agriculture, logging and domestic wood cutting (charcoal). 

It can be said that deforestation, population growth and poverty in the country are closely linked.

In response to this, reforestation campaigns follow one another from year to year. However, without reforestation based on good practices and oriented towards sustainable development, we cannot hope for a real improvement of the situation.

Rural development

Today, the Malagasy population remains essentially rural, i.e. 80.7% (INSTAT report, February 2021). 

As a result, its main economic activity, essential to its survival, is agriculture. 

According to IFAD, "The agricultural sector is the pillar of the Malagasy economy. Its three sub-sectors - agriculture, livestock and fisheries - provide a living for 75% of the country's population, account for 86% of jobs and 60% of youth employment. 

Acting for rural development is essential to :

• Achieving food security
• Contribute to the improvement of economic growth
• Improve the living conditions of the rural population
• Ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources

Reforestation and rural development are complementary and constitute peace factors in countries such as Madagascar. Awareness is present and there have been many actions in this direction, but so far, this has not made it possible to eradicate these phenomena.

Bôndy's active participation and capacity for innovation

Bôndy has been chosen by the Association Escuela de la Cultura de Paz for the answer it brings to these two issues. Indeed, the social enterprise has an ecological, economic, social and educational vocation oriented towards the restoration of destroyed ecosystems (solution for reforestation) and the valorization of local communities (solution for rural development).

Born in 2019 from a common desire to meet the challenges of sustainable development, Bôndy is a social enterprise that offers a turnkey CSR service in the environmental and social fields. Its technical department, which includes Research and Development and the Social Department, is constantly innovating in order to have a positive impact on "transforming the Red Island into a Green Island". Red Island into a Green Island".

Bôndy's model thus truly addresses the root causes of deforestation while empowering local populations through viable economic projects.

Bôndy's message to the youth

Following the awarding of the "Young Talent" Trophy at the Parliament of Seville, Max Fontaine, CEO of Bôndy, wanted to share a strong message. 

It is on behalf of Bôndy and the Malagasy youth that he exposed the current situation in Madagascar in front of the climate change. His objective was not, he said, to complain, but to take advantage of this exceptional platform to address a message to the youth present:

"If you are afraid and you want to act, do not wait for anyone, especially not your elders. If there is no climate justice, there is no peace. We are not downhearted, because there is a generation that wants to change the destiny of their country." (Max Fontaine, Seville Parliament, November 2022)

By awarding Max Fontaine the International Trophy "Young Talent", the Association Escuela de la Cultura de Paz wanted to reward the actions of Bôndy for reforestation and rural development, but also the commitment of youth for education and peace. 

Education is the first lever in the fight against poverty, and without it there is no peace. Because everything starts with the education of young people, this award is representative of the energy deployed by Bôndy and the young people to preserve the earth for future generations.  

"This award is not my personal award, but that of the entire Bôndy team in Madagascar, of all the beneficiaries of our project with whom we change the world, but every day and finally of all the Malagasy youth." (Max Fontaine, CEO of Bôndy and voice of Malagasy youth)