Challenges in sustaining peace in the Mindanao context

Al Qalam Institute Program Director Quamar Guiani enumerated the different challenges and solutions in sustaining peace in the Mindanao context in the 2017 Mindanao Week of Peace Forum held at Karpentrade Building, Matina, Davao City, last December 6.

The challenges he enumerated were: 1. Misunderstood meanings and concepts among religions particularly in Islam, such as the use of Arabic words, “Arabic words are also applicable in Catholic religions in the Middle East. Like the word Allah, ginagamit din iyan ng mga Christians in Middle east countries;” 2. All revolutionary movements are all armed groups and started their struggles with their guns.

Among the things he discussed as solutions to these challenges were: the importance of peace education, “peace education is important in order to accept the differences among religions;” intrafaith and interfaith activities should be sustained, “intrafaith and interfaith activities promote understanding within ourselves;” increase the level of tolerance and acceptance of differences for the common good, “as we look at different contexts of Islamic Faith, we increase the level of tolerance and understanding;” in order to eliminate violence, it should start with the children, “yung mga kabataan natin, yung mga laruan nila, sana mawala na yung baril. Mawawala na din yung violence;” he finally said, “instead of promoting hate, we should be promoting love among religions.”

The 2017 Mindanao Week of Peace Forum was a forum conceived by the Archdiocesan Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue (ACEID) in celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace which ran from November 30-December 6, 2017. (Karl John Zsygfrydd Calvez | HCDC Intern)