Culture of Peace

CULTURE OF PEACE
Engr. Misuari A. Abdullah, RED 601 Student
The Six-Point Peace and Development Agenda
1. Continuity of the GPH-MILF Peace Process
through implementation of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CAB)
2. Closure of the GPH-MNLF Peace Process
3. Continuity of the GPH-CPP/NDF/NPA Peace Process towards a Final Peace
Agreement
4. Closure of the peace agreements with the CPLA and the RPMP-RPA-ABB
5. Development in conflict-affected areas
6. Promotion of the culture of peace and conflict sensitivity in peace building and
development.
CONFLICT
What is conflict? What are its causes? What are its dynamics? How do conflict
develop? Is conflict always destructive? How can conflict be resolved?
Conflict is from the Latin word conflictus which means striking together with force. It
occurs when ones actions or beliefs are unacceptable to- and, are, hence resisted
by the other (Forsyth, 1990). Conflicts occur in dyads, groups or larger societal
structures.
CAUSES OF CONFLICT

INTANGIBLE CAUSES
One major cause of conflict in
Mindanao is bigotry and
intolerance. Gen. Angelo
T.
Reyes
SOUTHCOM
Commander,
MEDCO
Meeting 1999, Davao City
Bigotry:
maling
paratang
Intolerance: kulang sa
pagunawa at pasensya
Discrimination
refers
to
negative
actions
toward
members of a specific social
group that may be manifested
in avoidance, aversion or even
violence (Franzoi, 1986).
Stereotype refers to the
negative opinion about a

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person or group based on incomplete knowledge. Thus, stereotypes, being negative

beliefs about a group, can form the basis for prejudicial feelings, which, in turn, may
lead to negative action or to discrimination.
Prejudice is the negative feeling or attitude towards a person or a group even if it
lacks basis (Allport, 1958). Prejudice is simply passed along, sometimes for
generations, and is reinforced in various institutions including the family,
school and media. Prejudice is said to stem as well from ignorance or from lack
of information (Betlehem, 1985). Prejudice is based on a self-centered
judgment that there is only one correct way of experiencing the world (Aboud,
1998).
Types of Prejudice
1. Racism - the belief that ones own cultural or racial heritage is innately superior
to that of others, hence, the lack of respect or appreciation for those who belong
to a different race
2. Sexism- a system of attitudes, actions and institutional structures that
subordinates women on the basis of their sex (Mcginnis & Oehlberg, 1991)
3. Heterosexism- negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men
4. Classism- distancing from and perceiving the poor as the other (Lott, 1995)
5. Linguicism- negative attitudes members of dominant language groups hold
against non-dominant language groups (Chen-Hayes, Chen & Athar, n.d.)
6. Ageism- negative attitudes held against the young or the elderly
7. Looksism- prejudice against those who do not measure up to set standards of
beauty. The usual victims are the overweight, the undersized, and the darkskinned (Nario-Galace, 2003)
8. Religious intolerance- prejudice against those who are followers of religions
other than ones own

Typology of Violence
Level Personal
Form of Violence
Direct/ Physical
Suicide
Drug abuse
Structural/
Powerlessness
economic/ political

Interpersonal/community

Socio-cultural/
Alienation

psychological
Low self-esteem

Anxiety

Ecological
Overconsumption

UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION

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Domestic violence
Violent crimes
Local inequalities
Poverty
Hunger
Prejudice
Enemy images
Cultural domination
Racism. Sexism
Religious intolerance
Overconsumption
Pollution

Culture of Peace

Factors Exacerbating or Restraining Conflict at Different Phases

Phase PreCrisis
Escalation Protracted Postviolence
settlement
Factors
Exacerbati Underlying
Triggers
Escalators
Deformers
Trigers
ng
causes
Restrainin
Deep
Light
DeTransformer Peace-builders
g
preventers
preventers escalators
s
This theory must deal adequately with the interplay of causes and preventers at all
the different levels of the international system. There are five different levels at
which contemporary conflicts are caused: the global, regional, societal, conflict
party and individual/elite (Miall, Ramsbotham and Woodhouse 1999)
Some Causes and Preventers of Violent Conflicts in the Bangsamoro at
Different Levels
Level
Causes
Preventers
Global
Post-colonial legacy of Spain and International minority rights
the US
set
forth
in
the
UN
Convention
Regional
Spill-over of conflict in ARMM and GPH-MILF
CCCH,
InterRegion XII
regional CSO peace monitors
Society/
Family
Feuds,
hatred
against Local Monitoring Team, CSOs
Community
government forces by some Moro
group, PAGs, political dynamics
Conflict
Bangsamoro Fighters (MILF, MNLF, MNLF
and
MILF
Peace
Party
BIFF, etc), against AFP
agreements with the GPH
Elite/
ISIS support in Bangsamoro and International
Monitoring
Internationa other
International
Terrorist Team, UN and International
l
capitalizing sentiments of Moro NGOs
against GPH
Conflict theories, if viewed too narrowly, will
be seen to concentrate overly on the conflict
party level, focusing on parties, issues, goals
and so on to the exclusion of the context
within which the conflict is situated as well
as of the factors which characterize the selffuelling of conflicts, e.g. markets and
cultures of violence. It is possible, however,
to add more representation of the
background, for example building on
Galtungs simple triangular formulation of
conflict.
On to contradiction, we can build context;
On to attitudes, we can build memories,
and
On to behaviour, we can build relations.
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This recognizes that the meaning of a conflict depends largely on the context out of
which it arises. The attitudes the parties have towards one another are shaped by
previous relationships. The behaviour they adopt is not purely reactive but is based
on their memory of what has happened in the past, and expectations of what may
happen in the future.
The context of conflict includes the society in conflict and the wider international
and regional level. Within the society, crucial background aspects are culture,
governance arrangements, institutions, social roles, norms, the rules and codes in
place in a society, and its path of development. For example, in conflicts involving
ethnicity, minorities or challenges to state structures, it is the very structure of the
state that is at issue. As globalisation proceeds, local conflicts are inevitably
influenced by wider economic and political forces. These have tended to strengthen
trade investment and technological networks in some areas of the world, but also to
marginalise other areas such as Philippines.
Relationships involve the whole fabric of interaction within the society in which the
conflict takes place as well as beyond to other societies. As Lederach (1997) argues,
these relational aspects of conflict are crucial. Poor relationships between groups
are all too often a trigger for conflict, and remain a critical hindrance to
peacebuilding efforts after the violence is over.
Memories are part of each partys socially constructed understanding of the
situation, shaped by culture and learning, and discourse and belief. The way groups
remember and construct their past is often central to the mobilization for conflict,
and thus a crucial matter to address in reconciliation and cultural traditions work.
Context, relationships and memories are all part of the tissue connecting the
contradictions, attitudes and behaviours in the conflict formations, within the wider
background in space and time.
Transformers of Conflict
Type
1.
context
transformations
2.
structure
transformations
3.
transformations
4.
transformations
5. personal/ elite
transformations

Engr. Misuari Ago Abdullah

Examples
change in the international or regional environment

change from asymmetric to symmetric relations,

change in power structures, and changes of markets of
violence
actor changes of leadership, changes of goals, intra-party
change, change in partys constituencies, and
changing actors
issue transcendence of contested issues
constructive compromise
changing issues
de-linking or re-linking issues
changes of perspective
changes of heart
changes of will
gestures of conciliation

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Context transformations refer to changes in the context of conflict that may

radically alter each partys perception of the conflict situation, as well as their
motives. A somewhat less far-reaching instance might be the proposed exploration
of natural resources in the Bangsamoro like in Ligawasan Marsh and other areas.
Study on the rich natural resources in Bangsamoro and entry of multi-national
investors are promising start but it is, as yet, too early to see if it will have a
significant impact.
Structural transformations refer to changes in the basic structure of the conflict,
that is to
the set of actors, their issues, incompatible goals and relationships, or to the
society, economy or state within which the conflict is embedded. Asymmetric
conflicts cannot be transformed, for instance, without changing the unbalanced and
contested relationships that lie at their roots. While such changes will take place
only gradually, internal and external actors can support them along the way. For
example Steve Bikos Black Consciousness movement raised awareness of the
power of the poor people in the townships in South Africa, and the Anti-Apartheid
Movement helped to press the case for dis-investment by foreign-owned businesses
well before the end of the apartheid regime. Many recent conflicts in West Africa
have demonstrated the futility in attempting conflict transformation without
addressing the economic interests that fuel wars.
Actor transformations include decisions on the part of actors to change their goals
or alter their general approach to conflict. This would include decisions to seek
peace or to initiate a peace process. They also include changes of leadership, often
crucial to the securing of transformation in conflicts. Also included are changes in
the situation of the public constituencies and supporters of the respective political
leaders. This opens a number of lines for specific conflict transformation work, as
those who work within a party to bring about change in that partys position often
prove to be crucial actors in the peace process, and may have more influence than
external Track I and Track II actors.
Issue transformations concern the reformulations of positions that parties take on
key issues at the heart of the conflict as well as the way in which parties redefine or
reframe those positions in order to reach compromises or resolutions. A good
example of an issue transformation was the decision by the Unionist Party in
Northern Ireland to accept a de-linking of the decommissioning issue from the
question of the convocation of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Making progress on
issues in conflict is often tortuously slow and painfully subject to reversals, and of
course what counts as progress is itself contentious.
Personal changes of heart or mind within individual leaders or small groups with
decision-making power at critical moments may be crucial. Some external
interveners try to reach these leaders and bring about this personal change directly
(Curle 1987; Mitchell 2000). Conciliatory gestures by leaders, which express
personal changes, would play an important role in this context.
These five types of transformation can be readily related to the levels of conflict
causation or prevention identified above. Context transformations usually occur
within the global or regional setting. Structural transformations usually happen at

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the state/society level. Actor and issue transformations take place at the conflict
party and elite levels. Personal transformations demand competencies on the
individual level.
The transformation types can also be connected to the different parts of conflict
formation.
Context, structural and issue transformations all affect the context and
contradictions at the heart of the conflict.
Actor and personal transformations particularly affect attitudes and memory,
behaviour and relationships. These in turn, of course, are interrelated.
Finally, these different types of transformation further relate to the phases of
conflicts and the timing of intervention. Context and structural changes tend to take
place over a longer timescale, and affect the setting of the conflict; the other types
of transformations occur more rapidly and sequentially, as part of the dynamics of
the conflict. The sequencing of changes varies with each peace process depending
on the logic of the situation. Only in the very simplest conflicts is conflict
transformation likely to be a rapid or immediate process. More typically, it is slow
and tortuous with turning points usually followed by sticking points. This makes the
evaluation of individual measures extremely difficult.
HISTORY AND UPDATES ON THE PEACE PROCESS BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT (GRP) AND MORO ISLAMIC LIBERATION FRONT (MILF)

THE

Questions:
1. What is the Moro Problem?
2. How did it come about?
They are not happy being FilipinosThe following are the different faces of their
sentiments through the course of time
1924 The letter of some Moro leaders to the US Congress
1935 The setter of Hadji Bogabong, Kali sa Onayan & 119 Datus, Hadjis, Imams &
Kalis of Lanao to the President of the United States
1961 Congressman Ombra Amilbangsa filed a bill in the House of Representatives
declaring and recognizing the independence of Sulu
1968 The Muslim Independence Movement (MIM) wanted to establish an Islamic
state in places resided by Muslims, such as Cotabato, Davao, Zamboanga,
Zamboanga City, Basilan, Lanao, Sulu, and Palawan
1971 Mindanao Crisis: Fighting between Moro and Settler civilians. Fighting
between Moro and Settler politicians. The occurrence of several massacres to Moros
in Manili, in Cotabato, in Kauswagan, and in Lanao del Norte
The Destruction and Cost of War:

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President

Period

Ferdinand Marcos Jr
Cory Aquino
Fidel Ramos
Joseph Estrada
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Benigno Aquino III

1965-1986
1986-1992
1992-1988
1998-2001
2001-2010
2010-2016
Total Cost of War

Death Toll
100,000
128
450
1700
1,859
649
104,786

Economic
Cost
P288.4 B
P105 B
P98.2 B
P55.9 B
P0.503B
P39.1 B
P587.1

The different views of the Peace Process:

GRP-MNLF Final Peace Agreement implementing the Tripoli Agreement was
not accepted by the MILF
GRP-MILF negotiations, 1996 still in progress
1976 GRP-MNLF TRIPOLI AGREEMENT
Signed on December 23, 1976 with help of Libya & Organization of the
Islamic Conference (OIC)
Agreement to create autonomous region for Muslims of Southern Philippines
Area: 13 provinces & 9 cities in accord with Constitutional processes
Signed in Manila, 2 Sept 96 with help of OIC Comtee of 8 led by Indonesia.
Led to amended ARMM Organic Act & increased area, 5 provinces & one city
Created transitory mechanism: SPCPD & SZOPAD for Devt.
7,500 MNLF combatants integrated into the AFP & the PNP
GRP-MILF PEACE TALKS AGENDA
Security (Ceasefire)
Implementation of ceasefire agreements
Establishment of ceasefire mechanisms
Humanitarian, Rehab & Devt
Commitment to respect human rights
Assistance and development of conflict-affected communities
Ancestral Domain
On Bangsamoro identity, culture, traditional lands, long-term solutions for
Bangsamoro people, etc.
Most critical issue in the negotiations

CEASEFIRE IMPLEMENTATION

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MORE ON CEASEFIRE & EFFECTS

Ground situation remains stable; high degree of confidence within security

mechanisms (joint ceasefire committees, Ad hoc Joint Action Group,
International Monitoring Team, Local Monitoring Teams)

Ceasefire holding firmly despite recent localized armed hostilities in

Maguindanao and incidence of violence

Downtrend in criminality; AHJAG effectiveness proven

Sustained regional economic growth amidst mixed expectations

Increasing international and grassroots support/participation in the peace

process

ANCESTRAL DOMAIN
Divided into 4 strands:
Concept
Territory
Resources
Governance
Problem with territory:
Bangsamoro historic right
Current realities on the ground
Lumad communities
Property rights of migrant/settler communities
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT-1
Malaysia continues role as 3rd Party Facilitator and International Monitoring
Team (IMT) Head
OIC countries (e.g. Brunei, Libya) remain committed to assisting peace
process
Implementation of Phase 1 of WB-led Mindanao Trust Fund (MTF) focused on
capacity-building
Canada, New Zealand and Australia have started to support MTF Phase 1
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT-2
Parallel commitment from Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to assist in
reconstruction efforts in the CAAs
Japan participates in IMT to head socio-economic development aspect of IMT
work; complementary focused development assistance in CAAs
Swedish Government participation in IMT
UN World Food Program inclusion of CAAs as project beneficiaries

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Strategies for De-Escalation and Conflict Solution

The model describes how two parties in a conflict behave. Solutions leading to deescalation are not immediately apparent in this model, [3] particularly when it
appears to both conflict parties impossible to reverse the situation (e.g. an
aggressive act on the territory of a state, separation of a common child from the
other parent, withdrawal of nationality by a state, mass redundancy to improve
shareholder value), or when one party selects conflict escalation as a strategic ploy.
To achieve de-escalation Glasl assigns the following strategic models to the different
stages of escalation:
Stage 1-3: mediation
Stage 3-5: process guidance
Stage 4-6: socio-therapeutic process guidance
Stage 5-7: intercession, intermediation
Stage 6-8: arbitration, court action
Stage 7-9: forcible intervention
The ability to recognize and eliminate conflict-nourishing forces in a culturally
neutral and non-judgmental fashion in order to de-escalate a conflict is highly
advantageous in particular for managers, consultants and social workers

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What Prevents Us from Resolving Our Conflicts?

It is not second nature for many to resolve their conflicts constructively. There are
many factors that hinder us from doing so.
1. One of them is the experience of strong emotions such as fear, pride, anger
and desire for revenge. When these powerful emotions are present, it is
difficult to process information objectively.
2. Indifference or apathy is another obstacle to conflict resolution. People
sometimes show a lack of concern or interest, whether deliberately or not, for
the situation.
3. Others feel helpless or hopeless, perhaps, because the situation is
discouraging or the other party is a person of authority.
4. The lack of communication between disputants, or the absence of it, may
also be a hindering factor in conflict resolution.
5. There are also situations when conflicts are not resolved because of
provocations from sympathizers who, with or without meaning to, fan the
fire and aggravate the situation.
6. There are also situations when people perceive the problem-solving process
tedious and stressful and hence shun it.
7. Dialoguing with an adversary also requires a great amount of courage and
often we find ourselves lacking in audacity to face the enemy.

Holistic Concept of Peace and Violence

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Culture of Peace

PEACE
POSITIVE PEACE

NEGATIVE PEACE

Ecological
Violence
Socio-cultural
Violence
Structural
Violence

Direct Violence

VIOLENCE
Negative Peace is the absence of direct/ violence (physical, verbal, and
psychological) between individual, groups, and governments. It can be achieved
through:
Managing interpersonal and organizational conflict in order to control,
contain, and reduce actual and potential violence.
Reducing the incidence of war by eliminating the extreme dangers of the war
system and limiting war through international crisis management.
Preventing war through strategic deterrence and arms control
Positive Peace is the presence of conditions of well being and just relationship:
social, economic, political, and ecological.
Pillars of positive peace
Low levels of corruption
High levels of human capital (education, health)
Free-flow of information
Good relations with neighbours
Acceptance of the rights of others
Sound business environment
Equitable distribution of resources
Well-functioning government
Violence
Violence is not only limited to purely physical violence and that it could take on
many forms which are not necessarily physical in nature. As long as the intent of the
one doing the violent act is to do harm, whether physical, mental, emotional,
psychological or spiritual.
Direct Violence: e.g. War, torture, child and woman and abuse
Structural Violence: poverty, hunger
Socio-cultural Violence: racism, sexism, religious intolerance
Ecological Violence: pollution, overconsumption
Goals on Conflict Transformation

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Personal: Minimize destructive effects of social conflict and maximize the potential
for growth and well-being in the person as an individual human being at physical,
emotional, intellectual, and spiritual levels. (I.e. To reflexively process oneself in an
impending conflict and to address it peacefully and facilitating the development of
measures that would prevent its recurrence while strengthening positive
relationships.)
Relational:
Minimize
poorly
functioning
communication
and
maximize
understanding. Bring out and work with fears and hopes related to emotions and
interdependence in the relationship. (i.e. To acknowledge those of other religions or
tribes as different but as equals.)
Structural: Understand and address root causes and social conditions that give rise
to violent and other harmful expressions of conflict. Promote nonviolent
mechanisms that reduce adversarial confrontation and that minimize and ultimately
eliminate violence. Foster the development of structures to meet basic human
needs (substantive justice) and to maximize participation of people in decisions that
affect their lives (procedural justice). (i.e. To promote gender balance and gender
responsiveness in the workplace.)
Cultural: Identify and understand the cultural patterns that contribute to the rise of
violent expressions of conflict. Identify and build upon resources and mechanisms
within a cultural setting for constructively responding to and handling conflict. (i.e.
Formation of a Tri-People Peace Council of Elders to address inter-ethnic conflict.)
5 STYLES OF RESPONDING TO CONFLICT
CULTURE OF PEACE

TOWARDS

Conflict is a Dynamic Process

Conflict has only one definite
direction: it initiate change.
Change is also dynamic.
The key challenge: how to direct
conflict towards a process of
positive change.
Our key task: to manage conflict
and transform it to a higher and
better relationship
Conflict is Positive:
It encourages a human being to
reflect and search for new
direction, to examine or reexamine his/her relationship with
others and with society.
An
essential
propeller
for
change.
It is necessary part of human
relationship which makes human beings more humane.

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It always makes human being stronger and more prepared for living.
Conflict is Embedded in all Relationships:
Present not only in human
relationship, but also to different social, economic, and political structures. Since it
is in every relationship, it makes the parties adjust to each other.
Conflict Prevention: It aims to prevent the surfacing of violent behavior by
applying various precautionary measures.
Conflict Settlement: It aims to end violent behavior by reaching peace
agreement.
Conflict Resolution: It aims to prevent the outbreak of violent conflict. It
addresses the causes of conflict and seeks to build new and lasting relationships
between hostile groups.
Conflict Management: It aims to limit and avoid future violence by promoting
positive behavioral changes in the parties involved. It recognizes that conflict is ongoing and has to be dealt with. While it is true that too much conflict or recurring
conflict can be destructive, if handled properly, it can be constructive, leading to
greater clarity, awareness and harmony. This is based on the assumption that we
can control conflict. This goes beyond conflict resolution.
Conflict Transformation: Conflict Transformation is to envision and respond to the
ebb and flow of social conflict as life-giving opportunities for creating constructive
change processes that reduce violence, increase justice in direct interaction and
social structures, and respond to real-life problems in human relationships. (John
Paul Lederach, The Little Book of Conflict Transformation)
Peacekeeping: Common term for various type of activity to resolve conflict, to
prevent conflict escalation, to uphold law and order in a conflict zone, to conduct
humanitarian actions, to restore social and political institutions whose functioning
has been disrupted by the conflict, and to restore basic conditions for daily living.
Peacemaking: This is best understood as a close relative of preventive diplomacy,
involving the same range of methods: negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation,
arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or agreements, or other
peaceful means - but applied after a dispute has crossed the threshold into armed
conflict.
Peacebuilding: Peacebuilding refers to long-term preventive, pre-hostility
strategies, for measures to remove the internal causes and to strengthen structural
stability.
It is the employment of measures to consolidate peaceful relations and create an
environment, which deters the emergence or escalation of, tensions which may lead
to conflict.
It also refers to post-hostility actions, military and civilian, taken to forestall future
eruptions by strengthening structures capable of consolidating a political
settlement. Some measures are likely to be identical to pre-conflict peacebuilding.

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DEEPENING INPUT ON THE CULTURE OF PEACE

The direction towards building a culture of peace necessitates that we know
important concepts and core values, which would be the reference context of
creating a PEACE culture.
On the one hand, we need to look at CULTURE. Simply defined, it is a set of:
Attitude/orientation
Values/interests
lived by any individual and
commonly shared by any group
of people of a given community
Behaviors
Principles/beliefs
traditions

Culture is the way any groups of people live, think, feel, organize themselves,
celebrate and share life, and with these factors rooted in systems of values
meanings and world view, which are expressed visibly in languages, gestures,
symbols, rituals, and styles.
As a way of life, it becomes a basic living pattern by which a group of people can
design their collective consciousness and behavior as a community within and in
relating with other groups of people and cultures in their environment.
On the other hand we see and understand PEACE not just simply as a concept but
as a whole reality to live by within us. a way of life practiced in different levels of
relationships in a community.
-

Peace means inner stillness and calm, a sense of well-being.

Peace is harmony and cooperation.
Peace will be a reality when societies are just and fair to all.
Peace in societies exists when conflicts are resolved nonviolently and when there
are practical efforts made to satisfy the basic needs of people in a fair and
reasonable manner.

The first definition relates to individuals (and is often a gift). The next is experienced
in small groups and for short periods of time (cooperation is neither always
desirable nor feasible). The third requires a radical change in human nature.
Module 4

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Peace is not just the absence of conflict for conflict is an inevitable fact of daily life
internal, interpersonal, inter-group and international levels of relationship. It
consists of creatively dealing with conflict, thus, it is also a way of developing
alternatives to violence as a means to resolving human and structural violence.
Peace is more than the absence of war or overt silence. It is also the realization of
justice where respect for fundamental rights and freedom of persons is
experienced. Working for peace is working for the kind of relationship among
persons, groups and institutions (social, political, economic, cultural, educational)
that promotes the WELL-BEING and development of all persons, thereby,
enhancing the very culture of any individual and community. Such well-being
includes basic human necessities such as food, clothing, shelter and capabilities
development.
Peace is Justice and Development: If we take the traditional definition of justice
as giving ach person his/her due, we have to ask further what is due to a human
person; what are his/her basic human rights and what are the requirements to full
human development. Here, we wish to present four basic components comprising
both the meaning of justice and of human development in the context of defining
PEACE:
COMPONENTS
OF
JUSTICE
Sufficient Life
Goods:
Food,
shelter,
clothing, healthcare,
skills
development,
work
(economic
rights)
Dignity / Esteem:
Recognizing,
affirming and calling
forth the value /
uniqueness of each
person
and
each
people
(cultural
rights)
Participation:
The
right
of
individuals
and
peoples
to
shape
their own destinies
(political rights)

CHRISTIAN
BASIS
The earth is the
lords, it is for
the use of all;
stewardship

ISLAMIC BASIS

STAGES
OF
DEVELOPMENT
God has created man Security
and made him the (concern
for
successor of the land. survival
He made man the
master of nature.

Each person is
created in the
image
and
likeness of God

Man is the highest of

Gods
creation,
a
theomorphic
being,
which bears Gods trust
and
stewardship,
before
whom
even
angels must prostrate.

Man
has,
accepted
nature
as
a
trust
(Amana) and a theatre
for his moral struggle.
By accepting the trust
he has showed his
willingness to serve
Gods purpose.
Solidarity:
We are created Unity of purpose and
The
corresponding in the image of action,
mutual
duty
to
promote God Who is a helpfulness
and
these rights with and Trinity
working together are

Engr. Misuari Ago Abdullah

Each person is
called by Jesus
to help build
His Kingdom in
our world

Page 15

Self-worth
(concern
personal
recognition)

for

Self
Determination
(concern
for
control
over
ones life)

Interdependen
ce
(concern
for
others)

Culture of Peace

for others (duties as (community) of very strongly stressed.

well are rights)
persons
Culture of Peace therefore is:
the wholeness of life where every person can live with dignity
where there is appreciation and respect for the integrity of all persons
a way of life that promotes the well-being of all human beings, regardless of
different cultural backgrounds and historicity
where a group of people grow in dignity, self-determination, service and
solidarity with their fellow human beings
The Culture of Peace as a way f life is evolving and growing
It is a continuous process resulting from constant practice and interaction, the
fruit of which is understanding, tolerance, mutual acceptance and solidarity
among individuals, families, schools, church, government, NGOs and different
cultural communities
It is a process where different cultural members of a community and a nation
grow in participation, dialogue and cooperation.
It is a reality where human and social possibilities of working together towards a
common goal can be pursued despite cultural and religious differences.
Working towards a Culture of Peace suggests:
A SITUATIONER that allows:
re-surfacing of old prejudices, wounds and eventually confronting and reframing the cultural misconceptions, biases and prejudices with new insights of
each culture
talking of re-arming warring groups with a new sense of patriotism and loyalty
emergence of a new generation after 30 years. To start building a multicultural
relationship among the young people who know nothing or has no memories of
war and conflict between the Muslims and Christians.
And an EVOLVING PROCESS of:
Recognizing the dignity and equality of all persons Migrant Settler, Moro,
and Lumad
Mutual Tolerance Acceptability Respect and Appreciation of each others
culture
Reconciliation by: > remembering the past . accepting the pain.. guilt > asking
for forgiveness and to take the first step
Working Together for development environment for community building
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS
The objective of the Culture of Peace is to ensure that the conflicts inherent in
human relationships be resolved non-violently
Peace and Human Rights are indivisible and concern everyone
The construction of a Culture of Peace is a multidimensional task requiring the
participation of peoples at all levels
A Culture of Peace should contribute to the strengthening of democratic
processes

Engr. Misuari Ago Abdullah

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Culture of Peace

The implementation of a Culture of Peace project requires a thorough

mobilization of all means of education, both formal and non-formal and of
communication
A Culture of Peace requires the learning and use of new techniques for the
peaceful management and resolution of conflicts
A Culture of Peace should be elaborated within the process of sustainable,
endogenous, equitable human development; it cannot be imposed from the
outside.

CULTURE
OF PEACE, therefore, is a way of life that must be a conscious CHOICE and EFFORT
through personal, interpersonal, inter-group, inter-cultural, inter-faith dialogue,
international and global cooperation.
What present peace interventions are being done by your government agency to
help bring about a culture of peace to:
Interventions
Self
Public Sector
Mindanao

Challenges

Engr. Misuari Ago Abdullah

Page 17

Why peaceful?

What you can

do?