From 11-15 September, the Council for World Mission (CWM) in collaboration with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, held the 2024 East Asia Youth Programme on Peace Building and Conflict Transformation.
The programme was an offshoot from the Peace Building and Community Development Programme that aimed to translate CWM’s mission into practical, theologically rooted, and action-oriented initiatives that address global and local peacebuilding within the context of living under Empire. In a world that is constantly rocked by conflicts, it was imperative that the youths of the next generation be equipped to be the harbingers of peace and bold speakers of truth to the powers bent of unravelling peace and harmony.
Thirty-one participants comprising youths from CWM East Asian member churches, representing Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Myanmar as well as international Training-in-Mission (TIM) partners and local participants from the Philippines gathered at the UCCP Shalom Hotel in Manila, to engage in a series of discussions and conversations that sought to foster a deeper understanding and a spirit of appreciation of what it takes to transform conflicts and achieve genuine peace.
Minnie Anne Mata-Calub, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, attended as an honourary guest.
A key component of the programme was to present young participants with case studies that actively challenged them to critically reflect on their perceptions of the current world order and to approach it from the perspectives of biblical justice and peace.
The youth also presented on the issues of “unpeace” in their respective countries, defining it not just as an anti-thesis of peace (absence of conflicts), but a global zeitgeist that threatens humanity’s access to justice, sustenance, and life’s basic needs. The programme galvanised the young participants to profoundly examine the issues within their own contexts and speak out against injustices.
Exposure visits highlight areas of unpeace in Philippines
Community visits were integral in bringing to life issues that were discussed during the sessions. Participants were brought to four locations across the Philippines that exemplified the struggles against unpeace.
These included visiting the farmers of Lupang Ramos who have been embroiled in a decades-long struggle against an unfair justice system contesting their claim to land ownership; as well as the affected households in Caloocan City that saw family members killed during the war on drugs waged during Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency in 2016. These families are still struggling today to seek justice for their massacred loved ones.
Participants also met with fishing communities in the coastal town of Rosario who have their livelihoods threatened by the reclamation works of Manila Bay. Youths also heard about the plights of the beleaguered workers of Nexperia Inc., who were unfairly dismissed.
“Each day feels fulfilling as I not only learn about the challenges faced by various countries, but also gain a deeper understanding of diverse cultures. The process of interacting and learning from people from different nations has helped me grow significantly,” recounted a youth participant during a closing worship that sounded the call for more concrete steps to be taken by the participants toward achieving peace in their respective communities through sustained international solidarity and advocacy.
