2023 WEEK OF PEACE IN MINDANAO
November 30 to December 6 this year, was declared as Mindanao Week of Peace. It has been more than two decades that religious leaders such as the Bishop-Ulama Conference, the Non-government Institutions and government agencies gathered to sit and speak about the situations in our society and the challenge of common effort toward the common good.
While other celebrations or activities may have different themes and reasons for convening other groups, partner agencies and stakeholders, this year’s Week of Peace has a very crucial conversation and dialogue for we have just experienced the latest catastrophe of 6.9 earthquake in Surigao del Sur and two days ago, the bombing in Marawi. Hence, this took us as Missionary Dominican Sisters of the Rosary and our companions in the office to be fully present in this week-long activity to advocate a free and peaceful environment for our children and our society and fully denounce destruction of life. SOLIDARIDAD-IDP Foundation, Inc. have joined a fellow NGO, the Nagdillaab Foundation, Inc. for both in Isabela and Lamitan cities in Basilan.
One specific message we brought out was through our organization’s beneficiaries painting competition during Children’s Month which fueled up the concept of mural painting for Mindanao Week of Peace which was also participated by different schools in both Isabela and Lamitan City. It was to highlight children’s experience; how family and societal values are evident in each children’s environment and how trendy schemes on social media affect them both in school and at home.
This celebration brought the churches together, religious leaders who were present in the island, to speak with one voice that violence has no religion where I participated as one resource person for the Catholic Faith along with the Islam and the protestants. It was attended by many agencies, residents of different barrios and offices. Each one did take part ato help find a better way to dialogue and live in tranquility with one another.
Our presence as believers is to witness the God of the living (as narrated in the story of the faithful mother in the second book of Maccabees chapter 7). God, whose only desire is nothing but our happiness and well-being, a harmonious co-existence with His creatures and fellow humans.
It is but our way to learn to blend, adapt, accept, and listen to one another to attain peace, a way to be witnesses to what we long for.
Nini Rebollos
