This role is well articulated in Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.Moreover, the objective of SDG 4.7 is to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustai… With over 25 years of experience as both an academic and policy advisor, Dr. Paffenholz is internationally renowned for her work on and in support of peace and political transition processes worldwide, focusing on mediation and peacebuilding, process design, inclusion and participation, as well as the conditions under which these processes produce sustainable outcomes. Especially in Africa, religion has been at the heart of much of the contemporary conflicts. Religion is often depicted as a trigger factor in many conflicts. Salvation in African religion ‘is not related to Christ, but to rituals which seek to promote fertility, fecundity, healing and other modes of being emblematic of cosmological harmony’.35 Oosthuizen is of opinion that African religion consists of five core components: (1) belief in a Supreme Being; (2) belief in lesser gods; (3) belief in spirits; (4) ancestral belief; and (5) the practice of magic and medicine, each … The horrendous events of 9/11, the conflagration in Iraq, and the aggressive assertiveness of quasi-theocratic Iran only confirm in the popular mind that religion lies behind much of contemporary international conflic. 1 Views contained in this paper do not reflect the position of the African Diaspora Policy Centre. Religion has a definite role to play in people's search for world peace. Religious communities also directly oppose repression and promote peace and reconciliation. Education imparts knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that are important for the social, economic and political development for any country. - CNN. In the religions of Africa, life does not end with death, but continues in another realm. When engaging religious leaders and communities, it is necessary to understand the complexities of local religious traditions. Dr. Elsanousi joined the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers 2014, and today Dr. Elsanousi works on themes including mediation and peacebuilding in Central African Republic, promoting religious freedom in Muslim majority countries and preventing violent radicalization, especially in the Middle East and North America. First, we must promote better interfaith understanding so as to create a workable degree of unity among all religions. The request for a contribution to justice and peace for all from religions actually corresponds to the idea of accountability to God or to holy texts. His doctoral dissertation was on the topic of theology and nuclear arms. Build relationships of trust with other religions. Interfaith dialogue is expanding even in places where interreligious tensions are highest. Rev. / why has religion been raised to the forefront of conflict – are we seeing a new development or an old, but reframed trend; the role of religious actors/organisations in preventing hate speech and violence; good practices and successful prevention measures developed by religious actors and communities; religion and inclusivity – when religion and religious actors are included, what risks exclusion and how to fill these gaps; the support needed to strengthen the work of religious actors in preventing violence; the risks and opportunities of including religious dimensions in conflict transformation practice. It also helps that the ruling party is made has members of most religions practiced in the country. Create a peaceful affirmation/mantra. The event is part of the Geneva Peace Week 2017. FI-00131 Helsinki Peter Prove, Director, International Affair, The World Council of Churches As the need to share best practices and develop common understanding on the possible role religious actors have in preventing violence remains vital, the Peacemakers Network is pleased to invite you to a panel discussion addressing questions such as: The audience is warmly invited to join the discussion. This comes after a spate of skirmishes this year on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a Sino-Indian disputed border region. While everyone is entitled to their religion, it is the same religion which has shaped Africa's history especially with the advent of imperialism and colonialism upon which it was built. So no religion gets more attention than others. The article then cites statistics from a public opinion survey in Nigeria demonstrating that Nigerians believe religion to be more central to their identity than nationality. Religious leaders and institutions can mediate in conflict situations, serve as a communication link between opposing sides, and provide training in peacemaking methodologies. Given religion’s importance as both a source of international conflict and a resource for peacemaking, it is regrettable that the U.S. government is so ill equipped to handle religious issues and relate to religious actors. In many parts of the world people from different religions live in peace and coexist without any conflict. Attend a peace rally. 2020.12.24 (Nigeria) Islamists burn homes and a church - … It has many channels of communicating this message: through traditional values and worldviews, rituals, social relations, and the increasing use of modern communication. deprivation, marginalisation, institutional malfunctioning, state failure, global dynamics of dependency) related to conflict and peace. Date: Wednesday November 8, 2017 Casey is the director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University and was formerly the director of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs. Vast amounts of resources have been utilised to craft peace agreements which have often collapsed under the weight of competing interests. According to studies conducted by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, in 1975 only 2 percent of conflicts included a religious dimension, yet in 2013 the number had grown to more than 50 percent. Religion is not usually the sole or even primary cause of conflict. Dr. Thania Paffenholz is the Director of the Inclusive Peace & Transition Initiative (IPTI) at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Projects In South Africa, various churches were at the vanguard of the struggle against apartheid and the peaceful transition. That religion can be so markedly different in the hands of the power-hungry, as opposed to the altruistic and virtuous, really says more about human psychology than it does about religion. Africa’s Response to the Challenge. Not infrequently, the most contentious interfaith relationships can provide the context for the most meaningful and productive exchanges. With news of a breakthrough in Afghan peace talks, USIP’s Scott Smith warns that future troop withdrawal should “switch from a time-based deadline approach to a conditions-based approach” because if the Taliban believe withdrawal is inevitable, “they have no incentive to compromise.”, 2301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037Tel: +1.202.457.1700, About Reconciliation is complex in northern Uganda, where children were both victims and perpetrators of a decades-long civil war. The test of this accountability must be whether we are serving justice and peace for all, since all are created and in equal need of justice and peace for their well-being, safety, and happiness. But the sad truth is that the so-called “religion of peace” is responsible for more deaths and violence than any other religion in the world. Meanwhile, religious organisations and actors are considered as a rich source for peace promotion and conflict transformation. Sr. … Here are twenty ideas – some of which originated in my own brain, while others were culled from organizations (and credit is given where it is due). World Religions for World Peace. Before I discuss the existence of spirits in IR, one should understand what is meant by indigenous and religion. Finland. That problem, combined with a growing recognition that peacebuildingwill aid in the sustainability of humanitarian assistance and deve… At times, however, these projects have the unintended consequence of creating or exacerbating conflict. The African continent continues to be faced with the challenge of establishing peace and development. Since its creation in 2000, the United States Institute of Peace’s Religion and Peacemaking program has worked with local partners to promote religious peacemaking in many parts of the world, including Sudan, Nigeria, Iraq, Israel-Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, and Indonesia. This form of religious peacemaking garners less public attention but is growing in importance. The concepts of "life" and "death" are not mutually exclusive concepts, and there are no clear dividing lines between them. We have seen that potentially African Religion is clearly committed to peace, and in various ways it undertakes ways that teach, encourage, and promote it. There are two primary tasks facing religious practitioners who are concerned with world peace. Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers Publications USIP has a variety of newsletters and announcements with the latest analysis, publications and events. He has published several books, as well as numerous scientific and popular articles. He also has extensive experience of interfaith networking for peace and development, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In recognition of her work, Dr. Paffenholz received the prestigious Wihuri International Prize in 2015. There are past cases of mediation and peacemaking by religious leaders and institutions. The agreement, known as the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA), was a result of the 2+2 ministerial dialogue between U.S. and Indian defense and foreign affairs chiefs, following a trend in recent years of deepening military cooperation geared toward pushing back on China’s increasingly assertive policies in the region. In 2001 on September 11, when two airplanes hit the WTC in New York, Dr. Elsanousi had a leading position at the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), a position that was soon redefined by the changes in society after 9/11. Home to about 2 billion people, South Asia has become a strategic focal point for China’s growing global influence. THERE is a problem with the way the oppression of women and girls is explained which, if not challenged, will mean that gender will become a racket, an industry, without even reducing, let alone stopping, the degradation of the majority of women. From 1997 to 2006, he was a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches. He has also written a book about his church and his own involvement in the struggle against the apartheid system in South Africa. 2. Support Acts 17 videos on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=3615911 Does the Quran promote peace? The United States and India inked on October 27 a key agreement that will help New Delhi get real-time access to American geospatial intelligence. While conflicts without a religious dimension have been addressed through active preventative methods and tools, the lack of understanding and suitable preventive measures concerning the challenges that conflicts with a religious dimension face, remain to be acknowledged. This report represents reflections on that experience. Elsanousi joined the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers 2014, and today Dr. Elsanousi works on themes including mediation and peacebuilding in Central African Republic, promoting religious freedom in Muslim majority countries and preventing violent radicalization, especially in the Middle East and North America. African Traditional Religions In African Traditional Religions (ATR), people have deep and firm faith in the existence of a creator God who is unseen and is the nodal point of peace, social justice, and harmony. Friday, February 1, 2008 Blog, The United States Institute of Peace Legal and Privacy Information | FOIA Inquiries, Center for Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Jacob Stokes on China’s Influence in South Asia, China’s Influence on Conflict Dynamics in South Asia, Spurred by China Rivalry, U.S., India Deepen Strategic Ties, Scott Smith on U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan, US State Department releases Global Fragility Strategy - Devex, Sudan's private sector to reap dividends of country's removal from US sanctions list - The National, 'Europe's last dictator' clings to power despite protesters' demands - Washington Times, Is an alleged drug kingpin from China investing millions in a port in Laos? After graduation, Dr. Elsanousi continued studies in the United States. Officials in Beijing are driven by aspirations of leadership across their home continent of Asia, feelings of being hemmed in on their eastern flank by U.S. alliances, and their perception that opportunities await across Eurasia and the Indian Ocean. Religious affiliation and conviction often motivates religious communities to advocate particular peace-related government policies. Despite the position of Christianity and Islam in relation to peace, peaceful co-existence is still elusive among the adherents of these religions. Peter has served in numerous leadership roles in UN and civil society contexts and as a founding member of the International NGO Committee on Human Rights in Trade and Investment and the International Dalit Solidarity Network. Box 210 Traditional African religion is very popular and arrived here with our North and West African ancestors. Dr. Thania Paffenholz, Director of the Inclusive Peace & Transition Initiative Stand together to challenge any form of injustice, and emphasize that PEACE cannot stand without JUSTICE. Refreshments will be served. I would love to hear your thoughts regarding what else we can do to try to prevent violence and cultivate peace in our fragile world. Grants & Fellowships He currently serves as Dean of Vestre Aker, a grouping of eleven Oslo city parishes. Numerous peace initiatives have been launched on the continent. Recognising the role of religion and engaging with its multiple facets do not replace the work required to address the other interlocking issues (e.g. The traditional African religions or traditional beliefs and practices of African people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. 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