We, the citizens of the Republic of Liberia hailing from Grand Gedeh County and residing in the Americas, having convened in the City of Upper Darby, State of Pennsylvania, from May 24-26, 2002 to discuss issues concerning Grand Gedeans at home and the state of the national Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas, Inc. do hereby resolve as follows:

1. UNITY: Acknowledging the diversity that we celebrate in Grand Gedeh County, and realizing that our survival depends on our ability to overcome our differences; and being convinced that the bitter division of the Liberian people as a result of the brutal civil war is a major impediment to restoring peace to our country; and being concerned that the Liberian Government is sidestepping issues that are paramount to genuine peace and reconciliation; hereby resolve:

• To organize a reconciliation conference in the near future to address issues that are impediments to achieving true unity among the people of Grand Gedeh County and to encourage Grand Gedeans in the Americas and elsewhere to promote and work for peace and unity among us all.
  
  
• To advocate non-violence at all levels as a means of settling disputes, because violence is an ineffective and destructive means of conflict resolution.
  
  
• To support and encourage the process leading to genuine reconciliation among the people of Liberia. The bitter division resulting from years of fighting is a major impediment to rebuilding our country. We call on the Taylor Government to create conditions conducive for true reconciliation.
  
  
• To call upon all Liberians, especially Grand Gedeans, to withhold support for any of Mr. Taylor's programs that have the clear intent of diverting attention away from issues that are crucial to restoring peace to Liberia. In this regards, we are calling on all Grand Gedeans not to attend the so-called "ETHNIC RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE" scheduled to be held in Monrovia in July 2002, unless the agenda of said conference is revised to address issues that relate to human rights abuses by government security forces, and the creation of an environment conducive for the repatriation of all displaced Liberians and the holding of free and democratic elections in 2003.
  
  

2. EDUCATION: Realizing that Grand Gedeh County lags behind many of the other counties in Liberia in the area of development, and being convinced that the only way to close this gap is through quality education, hereby resolve:

• To establish a special Education Fund that will be used exclusively to assist deserving students from the county, particularly those interested in returning to the county to serve, attend higher institutions of learning. Said Fund will be managed by the Education and Training Committee under the supervision of the administration to ensure proper check and balance.
  
  
• To give priority to the training of teachers who will return to the county after the completion of their studies to teach in the county schools. To work with county authorities to ensure decent living conditions for those teachers upon their return to the county.
  
  
• To assist our own members and leaders here in the Americas get the training they need to be more effective in the discharge of their responsibilities. To this end, we support the Education and Training Committee's recommendation to hold a leadership workshop later this year.
  
  

3. HEALTH: We acknowledge that good health is essential to the reconstruction of Grand Gedeh County. An unhealthy society is an unproductive society. Therefore, we commit ourselves to provide medical supplies to the health facilities in the county.

Respectfully Submitted

By The Resolution Committee

Jackson N. Wonde - Chairman

Arthur K. Droe - Member

Edmund Z. Bargblor - Member

Arthur Watson - Member