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| NGOs, Religious and Academicians Discuss Linkages for Peace Education in WM Communities |
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| Written by Ria Razel Zamora |
| Thursday, 04 February 2010 07:25 |
 ZAMBOANGA CITY - THE Grassroots Peace Learning Center (GPLC) of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) leveled up its program to strengthen linkages between members of the religious sectors and the academe in pursuit of its grassroots peace learning course and create local peace initiatives by holding a regional forum last January 12-14 at the Marcian Hotel, in this city. Twenty-three participants from the GPLC coming from the different areas of Western Mindanao, religious sectors, and the academe joined the assembly. Separate forums among the members of the sectors were done during the three-day encounter. “The forum together with the GPLC participants was on Jan. 12 while with the religious sectors was done on Jan 13, and the academe on the 14”, Arweda Jalilul, a GPLC participant and a Peace Advocates Zambonga (PAZ) staff said. Each forum came up with their local peace initiatives, which each of the sectors had in common. “We in the GPLC presented and shared our local peace initiatives which we have already done like peace advocacy campaigns and conducting various related peace activities, livelihood assistance like what the Katilingban para sa Kalambuan Inc. is doing, land and housing assistance, sustainable peace and development, peace education to formal and non formal sectors. In terms of the religious sectors, they presented their own platforms like culture of dialogue from one of the participants representing the Silsilah.” Jalilul further explained. “We are doing this in order for us to find out what local peace initiatives we can have for possible partnerships and linkages,” she added. The GLPC participants included Peace Advocates Zamboanga, Jabu-Jabu, Katilingban para sa Kalambuan, Inc, Kalambuan Homeowners Association, Kalinaw Homeowners Association, Nagdilaab Foundation of Basilan Province, Namadqoon Adzuladzeem Foundation of Basilan Province, Social Action Ministry of Ipil, Zamboanga Del Sur, Bacalan Peace Builders Association, WESWAZPEN, Pigsalabukan Bangsa-Subanon of Zamboanga Del Norte, and the Catholic Relief Services. The religious sector included Prof. Alih T. Yacub of Golden Crescent Peace Center, Pastor Julius Camannong, Pastor Adelio Cangson, and Lenbard Ritada of the Silsilah Dialogue. The academe sector included Western Mindanao State University’s Center for Peace and Development, Social Development Council of Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Department of Education, Bacalan National High School, Campus Ministry of Basilan State College, and the Commission on Higher Education. GPLC was formed through the initiatives of the Filipino facilitators who attended the International Peace Training in the USA and applied it here in the Philippines targeting the grassroots communities. It covered the areas of North Cotabato in Central Mindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula in Western Mindanao. (Ria Razel Zamora) |