OUR FIRST PEACE AND RECONCILIATION TEAM IS SENT-OUT FOR DUTY IN MIDSAYAP

18 young people from the three people groups of Mindanao (Bangsamoro, Lumad, and Migrants) finished the one-year training course to qualify as members of the Peace and Reconciliation Team (PAR-T).  These teams are composed of local volunteers from various conflict areas of Mindanao.

To be effective agents of peace and reconciliation, they were required to undergo training in —
::  fact-finding missions
::  information management
::  peace education
::  justice advocacy
::  inter-faith dialogue
::  cross-cultural communications
::  conflict transformation
::  media relations
::  trauma healing
::  personal growth & development

Elwyn Neri was the one who gathered, trained, and nurtured these young people to become a team.  He stayed in Midsayap, North Cotabato for eight months to build the first PAR-T.

Each member of this team is aware of what is expected of them as individuals:
::  to qualify and recruit two more PAR-T
     trainees within six months
::  to pursue further training in Peace and
     Reconciliation Skills
::  to be available anytime their services are
     needed in a conflict area

During the simple graduation ceremony held at the PAR Center in Davao City, spiritual leaders from each people groups prayed for their own people.  Datu Anilaw Inlantong prayed for the Lumad volunteers.  Ustadz Abdulkadir Abubakar prayed for the Muslim volunteers.  Rev. L. Daniel Pantoja prayed for the Christian volunteers.