‘Peace-building, the urgent need of the hour in Naga society’

Dimapur, Jan. 24 (EMN): Peace Channel organised training of trainers (ToT) on peace club, peer mediation and peace forums with MSW – Peace and Conflict Transformation students of North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research (NEISSR) and North East Christian University (NECU), Dimapur on Jan. 21.

Addressing the participants, Dr. Fr. C P Anto, Director of Peace Channel stated that the channel seeks to address the underlying causes of conflict in the community and empower people to resolve their own differences amicably and peacefully by laying the foundations of conflict transformation and peace-building to prevent future violence through the formation of Peace Club, Peer Mediation and Peace forums. The workshop was attended by 23 participants in total, an update informed

One of the fundamental activities of Peace Channel is the formation of Peace Club in educational institutions and localities in the region, where a group of children forms an organised group and are capacitated on various peace-building skills like problem solving, fundamentals of peace-building, life-skill, develop confidence, leadership qualities etc. through capacity-building and peace celebration, which is the hallmark of the club, it stated.

The members are given platforms to explore, experience and express their aspirations in gathering to share, learn, heal and build relationships, make decisions to promote reconciliation, stand firm on values, truth and justice. They are empowered as peace-builders and problem-settlers in their personal life, family life and educational institutions and communities among their peers.

Peer Mediation Forum (PMF) is one of the major activities of Peace Channel, which mainly focuses on youths in colleges, universities and localities in the region. It is a group of trained individuals in peer mediation who volunteers to help individuals with problems through a structured communication process. It helps members improve self-esteem, listening and critical-thinking skills, and the institution’s climate for learning as well as reduce disciplinary actions, introduction of the parties in conflict and the mediator, discussion, clarification of each other’s feelings and emotions, rectification, resolution prepared on mutual agreement, transformation, and evaluation.

Meanwhile, People’s Forum for Peace (PFP) is another major activity of Peace Channel, wherein people from diverse walks of life, communities and religion come and discuss issues to ensure peace, justice and sustainable development in harmony with man and nature. To ensure government and community action on issues concerning the welfare and well-being of the community and society at large, the members are trained on the conflict-handling skills, dialogue, mediation, facilitation, and reconciliation to prevent and intervene in the conflict situations, it added.