narraor: in this special 21st-century show on united nations peacekeepers, a story of danger and courage in mali, reconciliation in the central african republic, and peace-building in haiti.

[indistinct conversation] [vehicle idling]

republic, a country racked during decades with religious conflict. narrator: the bridge which gave access to the local school became a front line between warring factions. un peacekeepers supported local efforts to resolve differences so that moslem and christian children could go back to school.

[people shouting] narrator: the central african republic, a country wracked during decades with religious conflict, innocent civilians, as in all wars, caught in the crossfire. [men shouting] narrator: when sectarian violence pitting moslems against christians again erupted in 2012, thousands were killed, and many more fled their homes,

moving to the relative safety zones defined by their religion. due to the violence, more than half the schools closed, including yakite school, one of the few schools in the capital bangui where once christian and moslem children studied together. the only access route to the school from the two communities was over the now-disputed yakite bridge. ludovic bienvenu, a christian local youth leader, explains how the bridge between the two communities became a front line between warring factions. narrator: and especially not children. local self-defense

groups formed to try to protect passage over the bridge for their own communities. ibrahim abdel rahman, a moslem, was in one of them. [gunfire] narrator: meanwhile, the school stayed shut. in 2014, a united nations peacekeeping mission had arrived, and in october 2016, local leaders joined forces with united nations peacekeepers to encourage the militia groups to disarm and for the bridge to reopen. ludovic took part, meeng

ibrahim face to face.

narrator: working with ex-child soldiers and ex-militiamen, ludovic and ibrahim went door to door in the communities, reassuring both christian and moslem parents. [laughter] [snap]

narrator: in january 2017, yakite school reopened its doors. for the first time in many years, moslem and christian children were once again side by side.

germain: bon aswe, tout moun! woman: we work not only with peacekeepers, the traditional image of peacekeeping-- preventing violence, patrolling in the streets of vulnerable neighborhoods with weapons--but there is another side of peacekeeping.

[guitar and percussion playing] [woman humming] [indistinct conversation] [crowd chanting] [women singing in haitian creole] [people shouting] [man singing in haitian creole] [scratching]

woman: whoo! germain: bon aswe, tout mn! [singing in haitian creole]

woman: aer the pce conces that wet the un msion i hati organed in rt-au-pnce, theapital, jamesame backo us and proposed to work on a workshop to engage youth from vulnerable neighborhoods, young artists, in creating, crafting messages for peace and composing songs for peace. [children singing in haitian creole]

m: ♪ uh, ok, yo, yeah...

[all singing in haitian creole] boudre: so james, emeline, and beethova are like brothers and sisters. they've known each otheror a very ng time. they work together with about 200 youth in 10 different cities in creating songs and piec that then they perform together, young artists together with their, you know, role models. most of the young people we work with, you know, they were amazed to be sharing the stage with such legends as james, emeline, and beethova, who were their parents' idols as well. [all singing in haitian creole] [cheering and applause] [all singing in haitian creole]

[all singing in itian creole] boudre: we work not only with peacekeepers, the traditional image of peacekeeping-- preventing violence, patrolling in the streets of vulnerable neighborhoods with weapons--but there is another side of peacekeeping, and it's, you know, engaging communities and creating the conditions for dialogue and mediation, creating the condition for people to be able to express themselves and say what they have on their minds and advocate for their rights. [all singing in haitian creole]

[all singing in haitian creole]

music [quiet, whispering]