Peace Advocates End 5-Day Camp In North Cotabato

Participants in the 5-day peace camp held in North Cotabato province in Mindanao.

NORTH COTABATO (MEDCo / 01 Jun) Some 50 student leaders from various universities and community youth organizations in Mindanao ended a 5-day peace camp in the town of Makilala in Mindanao's North Cotabato province, organizers said.

The students attended last week the “Young Advocates for Peace Camp'” that tackled the role of youth in attaining peace.

The peace gathering included delegations from the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao del Sur, Maguindanao, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, Sulu and the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato City, Isabela, Marawi and Pagadian.

Held at the Don Bosco Youth Center, the first ever Mindanao-wide peace camp was organized by the Kids for Peace Foundation, Inc., in partnership with the Mindanao Young Women Leaders of the Mindanao Commission on Women (MCW), Notre Dame University-Community Extension Services, Assisi Development Foundation, Inc., and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

The participants, who represented the tri-people culture of Mindanao, women's organizations, Sangguniang Kabataan and community and university organizations, went through several activities such as group discussions on the specific roles of the youth in contributing to the peace process, leadership and teambuilding exercises.

Among those who served as speakers at the youth camp included Charlito Manlupig of Balay Mindanaw (Mindanao Situationer), Orson Sargado of the Catholic Relief Services (Culture of peace orientation), Irene Santiago of the Mindanao Commission on Women (Peace circles and core values) and Angel Antonio Salanga of the German Technical Cooperation (Sports for peace) and Jovy Luciano of the Alternatibong Katilingbang Kalambuang Panglawas (AKKAP).

Representatives from various government and donor supported peace and development programs also provided inputs and guidance to the participants as they learn to develop preparing project proposals.

The Young Advocates for Peace Camp was also supported by the UN-Multi Donor-funded Action for Conflict Transformation for Peace (ACT for Peace) Programme, which is implemented in partnerhip with the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo).

In 2001, a 12-year old Rosan Aliya Agbon wrote a letter at the height of the war in Mindanao during that year and asked all kids write messages of peace and hope for the young child-evacuees.

The Kids for Peace Foundation, Inc. was formed after Rosan's letter spread like wildfire through the internet and generated overwhelming response from children in youth through the Philippines, China, Australia, Guatemala and the United States.

Under the auspices of the Foundation, several youth-oriented peace development activities were successfully launched such as the Kites for Peace and the ChildHEAL program.