ZC Call for Application
Application Form
| One Vision, One Passion, One Mindanao |
 |
| Thursday, 03 December 2009 05:37 |
  WEEK OF PEACE 2009 CLOSING STATEMENTWE formally, joyfully close the Week of Peace 2009 celebrations in our beloved city with this torch parade and short ceremony tonight filled with a newer, greater vision and passion for peace in our common homeland of Mindanao. This year’s theme, “Think Mindanao, Feel Mindanao, Bring Peace to Mindanao”, has brought a new awakening that our land and the cultures of the peoples who live upon it consist the integral fountainhead of true and lasting peace. Thus, our Week of Peace celebration appropriately focused on the city’s Subanon tribal community – who are the original inhabitants of Zamboanga - through several activities participated in by representatives of the Muslim and Christian populace. Along with them, we paid tribute to our Samadbadjao residents. They and more than 20,000 residents belonging to every sector of our city participated in our grand opening parade and program last Thursday, November 26. During the Week, we held art exhibits, literary contests, community visitations, interfaith dialogue symposium, youth trainings and assemblies, and the annual Peace Weaver Awards to give recognition to the year’s most outstanding peace-makers. The celebration was spearheaded by Inter-Religious Solidarity Movement for Peace and its secretariat, Peace Advocates Zamboanga, and together we convey our thanks to all those who supported and joined in the activities. We are especially thankful to the youth in our city, whose amazing eagerness and efforts towards peace have grown immensely through these years. For them as well as for the rest of us, the challenges ahead remain real and serious. The Maguindanao massacre cries for speedy justice for the victims, while closure of the wounds it inflicted and opened on our entire society calls for a new level of dialogue and resolve for structural reforms. Also, next year’s national and local elections require the pro-active involvement and vigilance of all sectors to ensure an honest and peaceful exercise. Finally, the peace talk between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front appears to be moving again towards a final and comprehensive deal, and it is at such a crucial juncture when the seal of public awareness and support is most needed. Yes, indeed. Let us always think and envision Mindanao, let us always feel and love Mindanao, let us always bring peace and its enjoyment to Mindanao. December 2, 2009, Zamboanga City. |
Comments
ONE MINDANAO! A MINDANAO FOR ALL!
RSS feed for comments to this post.