Dimapur, November 19 (MExN): Peace Channel in collaboration with North East Institute of Social Science & Research, (NEISSR) organized a one day programme on peace building under the aegis Inter Denominational Coalition for Peace in National, on November 19 at NEISSR Conference Hall, Dimapur.
The programme was organized under the theme, ‘The Role of Churches in building sustainable peace.’
“Peace is the need that everybody is clamouring for. However, peace is not achieved and the Naga society is still searching for peace,” said Dr. Aküm Longchari, Editor, The Morung Express who was the resource person of the event. He stressed on the need of a collective effort and redefining the meaning of peace ‘beyond mere absence of war’.
He delved deeper into the dynamics of peace making by using volunteers who were named as “Truth, Mercy, Justice and Peace.” Through interaction and relevant examples, he interacted on the importance of all these values in building a sustainable peace. He also cite the example where peace building was initiated after the First World War using Justice and Truth alone; how it fail to contribute to sustainable peace. He also narrated examples from the Apartheid regime in South Africa, where Truth and Mercy was stressed on. However, justice was missing in it. “All these values of Truth, Mercy, Justice and Peace requisite to build sustainable and lasting peace,” Dr. Aküm asserted.
Looking deeper into the need of ‘acknowledging the differences’, through an activity, he pointed out that people understand and perceive things differently even when the communication is happening in one language. “Thus it calls for dialogue and creating platforms for seeing things from others perspective. It is our duty as peace makers in our own right to create and allow that space for interchange of views and ideas whenever and wherever we may be,” he added.
Dr. CP Anto, Director, Peace Channel & Principal, NEISSR speaking on the importance of bringing people together for peace building to happen, said, “Years of research and assessment have proved that religious leaders can bring peace. This programme is a humble initiative to bridge the gap that the Naga society faced, which is created by the lack of peace builders.”
Rev. Dr. Shiwoto, President, Dimapur Christian Forum exhorted on the need of cultivating ‘vertical peace’ which is a duty which is endowed to everyone by the virtue of being children of God. Rev. Yanbemo Lotha, Pastor, Lotha Baptist Church Dimapur also exhorted the participants on the ‘need of volunteerism’ when it comes to building sustainable peace. Rev. Meingandai Gangmei, Pastor, Rongmei Baptist Church invoked God’s blessing for the success of the programme.
A press release from the NEISSR desk stated that the programme as attended by religious leaders, women representatives, teachers, locality leaders and students of NEISSR. The programme concluded with the formulation of action plans where all the participants decided to organize similar programmes in their locality in the future.
