About Democratic Republic of Congo

🇨🇩 People to People International

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Friendship, culture and connection in the heart of Africa

Welcome to the PTPI Democratic Republic of the Congo Chapter

Led by Mr Urbain Kapoko Sumaili, the chapter connects people and communities in the DRC with the wider PTPI family. It creates opportunities for friendship, intercultural dialogue and citizen diplomacy.

Every connection matters. Every conversation can build understanding. Every community has something valuable to share.

🤝 Meet Our Chapter President

Mr Urbain Kapoko Sumaili
President, PTPI Democratic Republic of the Congo Chapter

📧 Email: iaewprdc@gmail.com
📞 Telephone: +243 812 162 510
📞 Telephone: +243 972 547 651

Members, volunteers, schools, community organisations and international partners are warmly invited to contact Urbain.

Photo caption:
Mr Urbain Kapoko Sumaili, President of the PTPI Democratic Republic of the Congo Chapter.

Photo alt-text:
Mr Urbain Kapoko Sumaili, President of the PTPI Democratic Republic of the Congo Chapter, seated at his desk.

🌍 Discover the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, commonly called DR Congo or the DRC, is one of Africa’s largest and most culturally diverse countries.

Located in Central Africa, the country stretches from the Atlantic coast in the west to the mountains and Great Lakes of the east. Running through it is the mighty Congo River, one of the world’s longest and most powerful waterways.

At a Glance

More than a hundred million people live across the DRC’s cities, forests, farming communities, river settlements and mountain regions. Many additional local languages are spoken, reflecting an extraordinary range of identities and traditions.

🎶 Did You Know?

Congolese Rumba Moves the World

Congolese rumba is one of the DRC’s greatest cultural gifts.

Its flowing guitars, expressive voices and infectious rhythms have shaped music and dance across Africa and far beyond. It is music made for movement, storytelling and gathering people together.

In 2021, UNESCO recognised Congolese rumba as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, shared by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the neighbouring Republic of the Congo.

Cultural connection:
A Congolese rumba song can turn an ordinary gathering into a celebration remarkably quickly. Chairs become optional.

👔 Style With a Story

Kinshasa is also associated with La Sape, a cultural movement built around elegant clothing, creativity and confident self-expression.

Its sharply dressed participants are known as sapeurs. Their colourful suits, polished shoes and carefully chosen accessories have attracted international attention.

La Sape is about more than fashion. For many participants, it expresses dignity, discipline, individuality and pride.

🍲 A Taste of the DRC

Food traditions vary across this enormous country, but sharing a meal remains an important part of family and community life.

Look out for:

🥬 Pondu
Cassava leaves slowly cooked with spices and other ingredients.

🥣 Fufu
A soft staple served alongside vegetables, fish, meat or rich sauces.

🐟 Liboke
Seasoned fish, meat or vegetables wrapped in leaves and cooked.

🌴 Moambe
A rich palm-based sauce used in several popular dishes.

🍩 Mikate
Lightly sweet pieces of fried dough, often enjoyed as a snack or street food.

The best introduction to a culture often begins around a shared table.

🌿 A Country of Exceptional Natural Beauty

The DRC contains much of the Congo Basin rainforest, one of the planet’s most important natural environments.

Its forests, rivers, wetlands, mountains and savannahs support wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. The okapi, sometimes described as the forest giraffe, is native to the DRC and has become one of the country’s most recognisable natural symbols.

The country is also home to bonobos, eastern lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas.

Protecting this natural heritage matters far beyond national borders. The Congo Basin helps regulate the global climate and supports millions of people whose lives and livelihoods depend upon it.

🕊️ Understanding Today’s DRC

The Democratic Republic of the Congo possesses immense human, cultural and natural wealth. It also faces serious challenges.

Conflict and displacement continue to affect communities, particularly in parts of eastern DRC. Families and local organisations are responding to interrupted education, health emergencies, poverty and pressure on essential services.

These realities deserve international attention. However, conflict must never become the country’s entire story.

Every day, people across the DRC continue to:

• teach and learn
• care for their neighbours
• create music and art
• protect their communities
• build businesses and organisations
• work towards dignity, security and peace

This determination, creativity and community spirit are also part of the DRC’s story.

🌐 Why PTPI Matters Here

Peace is not built only in government buildings or through international agreements. It also grows through relationships between ordinary people.

PTPI chapters help create space for:

• intercultural learning
• youth and community engagement
• international friendship
• respectful dialogue
• shared projects
• citizen-led cooperation

The PTPI Democratic Republic of the Congo Chapter offers a bridge between local communities and a worldwide family committed to human connection.

As the chapter shares more about its current and planned activities, further stories and opportunities will be added to this page.

🙋 Connect With the Chapter

The chapter welcomes contact from:

• prospective members and volunteers
• schools and youth organisations
• community and civil society groups
• cultural and educational partners
• other PTPI chapters
• international visitors seeking a respectful local connection

📧 iaewprdc@gmail.com
📞 +243 812 162 510
📞 +243 972 547 651

Experience. Connect. Learn. Lead.

Join a global community advancing Peace through Understanding, one person and one friendship at a time.