Mindanao Week of Peace kicks off

DAVAO CITY — The Bishop Ulama Conference (BUC) kicked off yesterday the Mindanao Week of Peace, considered to be an essential aspect of the peace process in the South.

Initiated by the BUC, the annual celebration of the Week of Peace is covered by Presidential Proclamation 127, series of 2001.

It involves various government offices, non-government organizations and private groups who advocate the culture of peace in strife-torn Mindanao.

Christians, Muslims, lumads and other religious groups actively take part in the week-long celebration across Mindanao.

This year’s theme is "Healing through forgiveness: Key to total human development."

The BUC has been helping facilitate the resolution of the decades-long conflict in southern Philippines, particularly with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"For this reason, we would like to convey to the government and the MILF peace negotiators that without social healing, no amount of ceasefire, peace agreement and economic package would heal the wounds of the Mindanaoan’s spirit and body inflicted by the bloody conflicts and wars," the BUC convenors said in a statement.

Among the BUC convenors are Davao Archbishop and incoming Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Fernando Capalla, Ulama Mahid Mutilan and Christian Churches of the Philippines Bishop Hilario Gomez.

Lined up during the Week of Peace are peace walks and rallies, peace vigils and spiritual gatherings, music and arts festivals and sports activities.

"Today we call on all Mindanaoans to undertake creatively any activity or project that will bring about reconciliation through forgiveness and healing as essential conditions for total human development," Capalla said.