Regional Interfaith Dialogue, Connecting and Cooperating for Peace and Harmony In the Asia-Pacific region
David Oughton, Professor of Theological Studies at St. Louis University and Board Member of Global Solutions’ St. Louis Chapter, spoke on the responsibility of world religions to take an active role in building a firm foundation for world peace and in promoting the ideals of a global community.
The landscape of women’s participation has experienced significant change mostly in the area of awareness. All of us, men and women alike, have gender roles firmly embedded within us. The more we all try to pretend they do not exist, the less conscious we are of our own behaviors that promote inequality. Discussion of these issues openly is a first step to dealing with them and getting more women involved in the process of peace.
The Missing Millennium Development Goal is a petition to the governments of the United Nation’s member states, religious leaders and civil society to recognise that the interfaith collaboration is key to achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Philippines: Drawing inspiration from internally displaced persons (IDPs) recovering from war in Central Mindanao, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles on Saturday stressed that they serve as a “testament that it is not impossible to rise above any conflict situation, and it does not need big and complicated steps to do it.”
The Buddhist Coalition for Social Development has led workshops promoting ethnic and religious understandings in local communities.
Religions for Peace in cooperation with Mahidol University, and Interfaith Cooperation Forum organised an Intra-Buddhist and Inter-faith dialogue on “Peace among Thai and Cambodian”.
In the Mindanao district of the Philippines, an NGO which manages marine fisheries has been utilising interfaith dialogue to resolve local conflicts.
The GrIP Project was implemented through the funding assistance of the Strengthening Grassroots Interfaith Dialogue and Understanding (SGIDU) Program managed by Australian Embassy Manila.