For the past three weeks, over 35 religious and civil society leaders from Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea (including Bougainville), West Papua, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Nauru, Kiribati, Samoa and American Samoa, have undergone an intensive training course in peace-building.
The Pacific Peace-building Training Intensive (PPTI) was held for the fourth consecutive year at the Pacific Theological College (PTC) in Suva, Fiji.
The Training Initiative focused on three key components: conflict analysis, trauma healing and conflict resolution skills. Part of the training, this year, also focused on translating and contextualizing key concepts and skills to the Pacific Region. This is necessary to help leaders talk about peacebuilding in their communities effectively.
Sr Lorraine Garasu, the Coordinator of the Nazareth Center for Rehabilitation in Bougainville, is one of seven participants who attended the TOT. “I am already facilitating training in Bougainville but what I found most interesting is learning new skills and tools for facilitating peace building modules. During the workshop we developed modules around peace-building, conflict analysis and resolution, and trauma healing – this is very important for my work in Bougainville.”
Sr Lorraine also explained how the course helps people to understand conflict and peace in a holistic way. “We’ve looked at how to deal with family feuds and how to deal with violence against woman and children. It has not just about peacebuilding as a result of armed conflict.”
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News category: Asia Pacific.
