All is set for week of peace celebration in Basilan

From the Philippine Information Agency (Nov 30): All is set for week of peace celebration in Basilan

Several activities have been lined up for the Nov. 29-Dec. 5 observance of the Mindanao Week of Peace 2012 in Basilan. A motorcade held Thursday kicked off the celebration. Prior the start of the celebration, series of multi-stakeholders meeting were held to plan out the activities for the meaningful observance of the annual week of peace celebration with this year’s theme “Love of God, Love of Neighbor, Together for Sustainable Peace: A Challenge for Mindanao.” The multi-stakeholders group was composed of representatives from selected government agencies, non-government organizations, academe, the religious sector, and the military and police, among others.

Spearheaded by the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFI), the multi-stakeholders group has agreed to initiate and support the following activities: Lantawan Youth Peace Camp on Nov. 30-Dec. 2, Anti-Drug Abuse symposium in Maluso town on Dec 3, Poster-making competition among students and pupils from the different school districts in Basilan and Isabela City on Dec 4, an Inter-Faith Dialogue on Dec. 5. A peace conference and forum on the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro (FAB) is also slated on December 6 depending on the availability of the resource persons. The FAB forum was earlier scheduled last Nov 24, but was postponed initially to December 7 because of the appointment of Government chief negotiator Marvic Leonen to the Supreme Court. He was supposed to be the main speaker during the FAB forum in Basilan.

Officials from the provincial government of Basilan said that arrangements are still being done with the GPH-MILF peace panel hoping that the December 6 FAB forum will finally push through. NFI Executive Director Miriam Suacito has enjoined the public to participate in all the activities of the week of peace celebration in Basilan. She also thanked all stakeholders who have been supportive to the activities toward greater awareness of peace-building in the province.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1421354093180