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Sucessful workshop-forum: In Search for Peace in Mindanao, Engaging the Moral Imagination

The Peacemakers' Circle Foundation, Inc. (a Cooperation Circle of the global United Religions Initiative), with the help of its network of partners in SOWING PEACE FOR MINDANAO, the U.S. Embassy in Manila, and the Mindanao Peoples' Caucus, successfully followed up the series of projects and activities they conducted (from August to October) with a dialogue workshop-forum last October 23. This was entitled: IN SEARCH FOR PEACE IN MINDANAO: Engaging the Moral Imagination in Community Dialogue and Relationship- Building (a leaders' dialogue workshop-forum) .

The forum was inspired by the two-year training that some members of The Peacemakers' Circle—Marites Guingona-Africa, Lee Collano, Akmad Wahab, and Dr. Abdulhusin Kashim—underwent as representatives of the Philippine Team to the Peacebuilding Training Program of the United Religions Initiative (URI), a global interfaith community to which the Peacemakers' Circle is a member.

The training was designed and conducted by Dr. John Paul Lederach and Dr. Herm Weaver. Dr. Lederach was the author of the book (entitled, "Moral Imagination: Art and Soul of Building Peace") that inspired the two-year training under him. He is one of the world's foremost experts on Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding, and he pioneered the Conflict Transformation Program of the Eastern Mennonite University.

The October 23 workshop-forum was held at the Hotel Rembrandt and was facilitated by Jasmin N. Galace of the Center for Peace Education of Miriam College. Over one hundred representatives of organizations from various sectors of society attended. Among them were Maj. Gen. Dolorfino (Chief of the Philippine Marines), Gen. Garcia (member of the dissolved Government Peace Panel), and representatives of government, media, academe, religious institutions, and the diplomatic community.

The workshop-forum started at around 9:30 in the morning. After the solemn opening prayer ritual led by Orlan de Guzman (indigenous tradition), Shakuntala Vaswani (Hindu), Fr. Leonardo Mercado, SVD (Catholic Christian), Aleem Said Basher (Muslim), and visiting Australian Jessiee Kaur Singh (Sikh), welcome remarks were given by Marites Africa, followed by an introduction to Dr. John Paul Lederach's book on the Moral Imagination by Dr. Abdulhusin "Jo" Kashim.

How do we transcend the cycles of violence that bewitch our human community while still living in them? This was the question posed by John Paul Lederach in his book "Moral Imagination: Art and Soul of Building Peace." He wrote that "transcending violence is forged by the capacity to generate, mobilize, and build the moral imagination" and he defined the moral imagination as "the capacity to imagine something rooted in the challenges of the real world, yet capable of giving birth to that which does not yet exist."

The workshop-forum aimed to help participants awaken to and engage the moral imagination in the endeavor of building lasting peace in Mindanao. It was emphasized that the moral imagination focuses on the centrality of relationships, and these relationships can be built through deep dialogue and heart listening.

Marites Africa gave an introduction to interfaith dialogue, and guidelines to heart listening (based on the book of Kay Lindhal). This was in preparation for the Listening Circle with Atty. Mary Ann Arnado of the Mindanao Peoples' Caucus, Musa Sanguila of Pakidgait in Kauswagan (Lanao del Norte), and three evacuees--Samira Usman (Pikit), Mashod Salik (Datu Piang), and Brenda Avarico (Midsayap)--sharing their experiences of the war in Mindanao. Angelina Herrera of the Binhi ng Kapayapaan facilitated the circle.

The stories shared by the Mindanaoans were heart-rending and the reflections and responses that followed affirmed the difficulties of their plight, and reiterated the general concern to help address the challenges to peace in Mindanao.

The afternoon session brought groups of people sitting around the table together to share their thoughts and reflections on—
1. What I have heard from the sharing that struck me most
2. Ways we can collectively respond to the challenges to peace in Mindanao
3. What I can contribute to the endeavor

After Dr. Kashim synthesized the presentations made by each group, Sr. Arnold

Maria Noel and Djalia Hataman of the Sowing Peace for Mindanao network presented to the assembly the SPM contributions to the endeavor of promoting ways forward for peace in Mindanao.

Before the afternoon ended, a brief inspirational message from Dr. John Paul Lederach (who flew in earlier from Nepal for a brief visit to the Philippines) energized the assembly. It was a moment of heartwarming synchronicity for the Peacemakers' Circle and this augured well for the training workshops on ENGAGING THE MORAL IMAGINATION IN GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AND PEACEBUILDING that the Peacemakers' Circle is hoping to conduct for various communities in Mindanao (and elsewhere in the country) in its effort to help bring forth a transformative cultural force for lasting peace in the country.