Creation of Nuer International Cultural Orientation Center

Ladies and Gentlemen:

November 23, 2007, Nuer Community USA convenes a meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. The meeting was hosted by Nuer Community Development Services (NCDS) and the guest of honor or speakers were H.E. Thowath Pal Chay and Dr. John Ruach Jal. It was a great honor and privilege to be part of this community conference. November 23, 2007 became one of the historical day for Nuer Community members where many in the United States and with the present of Dr. John Ruach Jal from Europe formed a new organization called Nuer International Cultural Orientation Center (NICOE). The participation at the birth of this new organization was gargantuan. There were about 430 members of Nuer community that attended the conference. The main objective of the NICOE is to establish, provide and maintain a forum/platform for discussion, debate, consultation, exchange of ideas pertaining to the “Nuer Nation” and to nurture and develop the Nuer Community’s social, cultural, scientific, spiritual and moral values and traditions in historical, present and future perspective. Also, the main mission is to preserve the unity of Nuer community.

As I mentioned from the above, I applauded the present of H.E. Thowath Pal Chay, Professor Dr. John Ruach Jal, Nuer elders, Nuer Christian leaders, elder Pastor Lul Nguot, Mr. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth and Col. Tut Deng Yat. Both elders (H.E. Thowath Pal and Dr. John Ruach) have done an outstanding presentation during the meeting. The lectures were about the organization, leadership, cultural, social activities and economical empowerment. Ezekiel Gatkuoth briefly talked to the audiences about the current situation in Sudan. They delivered intellectually and knowledgeable.

The concept for the formation of the new organization was a concept which transformed into the reality of vision for the transformation of Nuer Community to preserve it is moral and traditional values. As a result of the formation of NICOE, I would like to extend my gratitude to uncle Thowath Pal Chay for taking time out of his busy schedule to help us organize NICOE. He has contributed an adequate amount of his time in the formation of this organization. H.E. Thowath traveled all over United States to lecture the concept of the NICOE to many Nuer Community members. The concept comes about when H.E. Thowath was asked in 2005 by Nuer community members to help them in U.S. to transform Nuer Community. Now the concept came into reality where NICOE is form and elected its leadership.

In the formation process of NICOE as I said earlier, congress was elected where I became the Chairman of the committee or NICOE congress. During the conference, nine officers of NICOE were elected. The center of the NICOE will be in USA. NICOE will be form every where we have present. It will concentrate more in the home front, especially in Sudan and Ethiopia. Also, NICOE will have strong representation in Diaspora such as in USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, and other African countries.

Currently as a Chairman of the NICOE Congress and member of the NICOE Committee, I am going to meet with Nuer political and spiritual figures, and calling upon all Nuer all over the world to participate and promote Nuer International Cultural Orientation Center (NICOE). NICOE is free from political parties. The organization is for all Nuer globally. We ask every member of the Nuer community to be part of NICOE.

Therefore, NICOE will concentrate its efforts in several areas, including exploring new approaches to nurture and develop the Nuer Community’s social, scientific, cultural, spiritual and moral values and traditions in historical, present and future perspective. NICOE also will focus on building local and global partnerships with other institutions wherever its members live in order to continue enriching our cultural values, or believes. So, my message to you all is to introduce the organization to you. We are going to reach out to all the countries where Nuer community members live.

The NICOE Officers are:

– Lam Chuol Thichuong, Chairman
– Simon Tongyik Nguth, Vice-chairman
– Ter Deng Gatluak, Secretary General
– Elizabeth Nyawat Stephen Ret Chany, Treasury
– Mark Riek Giel, Social & Economic Secretary
– Gonder Timothy Tongyik Tutlam, Organizational Affair Secretary
– Sarah Nyachuol Yien, Cultural and Spiritual Affair
– Stephen Mading Gatjiek, Public Relation
– Gatluak Gatnoor Komboor, Inspector or Controller

God bless you all!

Lam Chuol Thichuong, Chairman of NICOE

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