Building Spaces for PEACE
  – Culture of Peace & Inter-Religious Dialogue Seminar-Workshop

On June 6-8, 2011, the three-day Culture of Peace & Inter-Religious Dialogue Seminar-Workshop (C.O.P.) was conducted at the office of the Non-Violent Peace Force (NP) in Fort Pikit, North Cotabato. This was participated by Moro youth and Christian settlers from the area and some barangay officials were also present to lend support and co-facilitate. The C.O.P is the main program of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate-Inter-Religious Dialogue (OMI-IRD), a church-based NGO supported by DKA/kfb. The main goal of this program is to facilitate the establishment of the Spaces for Peace in Pikit. Romina Enopia, a project officer of IPDI-South attended the seminar as part of her exposure to the IRD program.

The seminar-workshop has several parts: Understanding the Mindanao Problem, Understanding Conflict and Peace, Conflict Resolution Skills, Cultural Appreciation and Sensitivity and Inter-religious Dialogue. There were varied activities and workshops to facilitate learning and insight.  A Visioning and Commitment Building activity enabled the participants to share through a group drawing their dream for their place where they can start their own peace-building initiatives.  For the culminating activity, a chance was given for each participant to share important knowledge they have gained, insights, and the changes that are taking place in their perspective, attitude, and behaviour, especially in relation to the peace and conflict situation in Mindanao and how these factors are concretized in their day to day living in a tri-people (Moro, Christians and Lumad) community. Especially, they were encouraged to express verbally and symbolically, let go of the hurts and prejudices that in some ways contribute to the perpetuation of the misunderstanding of the conflict. 

What was striking was to see the immediate effect of the workshop to the participants. Growing up in a conflict/war zone - normally between the government forces (Christians) and the Moro rebels - both settlers and Moro groups developed their own prejudices and biases against each other yet, never really knowing and understanding the reason behind all the violence and killings. It is a reality that they have to live with. As they listened to the telling of the history of Mindanao and afterwards listening to their sharing, the change was almost tangible. It was like watching the mind which, for a long time was like a dark room – until - a light was switched on! We are all brothers and sisters – Moro, settlers, lumad! The war is senseless and Mindanao is ours to share! Together, let us work for peace – starting with our own selves, our relationships with our Christian, Moro and Lumad brothers and sisters! Let us mend our broken relationships and live in peace!

As these young people go back to their own families, they bring with them the hope and the mission to start and bring about real and lasting peace in Mindanao.