Mindanao
Peacebuilding
Institute
&
Grassroots Peace
Learning Center
OVERVIEW OF THE
INITIATIVES
MINDANAO PEACEBUILDING INSTITUTE
•Partnership between CRS, MCC and CAFOD that has brought together
more than 850 peacebuilders and practitioners from 35 countries for the
Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute, annual intensive peacebuilding training
event since 2000
•Seeks to educate and empower communities, institutions and individuals
as catalysts for social transformation, to realize the vision of peaceful and
just communities in the Asia Pacific, by bringing together a wide range of
locals (70%) and internationals with experience, knowledge and skills in
peace related work
•Draws on the shared knowledge of both participants and facilitators
(who are local and international practitioners and theorists) during the
Institute (2 weeks of classes and 1 week field exposure)
•Scholarships and follow-up program for for selected peacebuilders
OVERVIEW OF THE
INITIATIVES
GRASSROOTS PEACE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER
•Provides peacebuilding curriculum integrating intensive training sessions
(10 modules) in the local languages, technical assistance, and facilitation
of more effective networking
• Seeks to enhance the capacity of grassroots peacebuilders and building
the Mindanao peace constituency
•200+ participants from 50 organizations have finished the modules and
graduates have organized technical support network
•Graduates have applied learnings by acting as community mediators,
animators, facilitators and by supporting peace initiatives and informal
peace processes
Lessons Learned



Maximizing peace training programs not just as
learning space but more importantly as social and
integrating space for encounter and eventually
relationship building among groups
Peace education and training can go beyond
increasing skills and knowledge – it can be harnessed
as a peace constituency building mechanism/platform
(potentials of creating formal and informal networks)
– and mechanism for peace advocacy
Training processes for communities can be
maximized as venues for framing theories,
documenting
lessons,
etc.
–
linking
practices/experiences with theories
Lessons Learned


The importance of integrating symbolic rituals in the training
processes to build on the overall COP vision in Mindanao –
Peace training programs for communities need a clear/strong
follow-up component to ensure learnings translate to improve
peace praxis in the areas (defining clear impact in the
communities)
- GPLC and MPI scholarship program
- Re-entry process
- Research and documentation
- Readiness of training programs to expand
(spin-off initiatives)
Lessons Learned



Integrating values and vision in the management process or
structure
Maximizing various ways of learnings not just learning of
participants but also of staff, facilitators, advisers, documenters
(capacity building of facilitators – team-teaching of local and
international, facilitators and facilitator interns, youth as
documenters, staff –provide opportunity for them to experience
a peacebuilding training, encourage them to consider
peacebuilding as a career.
Peace training programs should be grounded on clear
peacebuilding program initiatives especially among the
organizers/ the importance of a working area