The Peace Month started with the opening of the KaPEACEtahan Peace Fair at Quezon Memorial Circle which focuses on the milestones of the Philippine Peace Process and its initiatives in the transformation of conflict-affected communities into windows of peace and development. This was spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) with the main theme, “Pagkakaisa at Paghilom: Isang Bansa para sa Kapayapaan”.
The Peace Fair was participated by OPAPRU’s Peace Partners where they have showcased their products through their designated booths. The said event featured food stalls, music classes and art exhibits and also served as a “family day” to OPAPRU’s personnel.
The OPAPRU, through its Social Healing and Peacebuilding Office (SHAPEO) and Knowledge Management and Peace Institute, also conducted the Second Peace Research Conference with the theme, “Ending Conflicts: Women’s Role in Building and Sustaining Peace” which focuses on peace interventions of the government and private institutions to elevate peacebuilding and security.
The Fifth Instalment of MasterPEACE: Enriching Youth Perspectives on Peace and Human Security is also being conducted by the Peace Agency, through its Peace Panel and Political Concerns Office and SHAPEO. This activity seeks to understand the role of the youth and their contribution in peacebuilding. This will be done through a series of online webinars followed by an immersive 2-day physical workshop on peacebuilding and project implementation.
Conflict Sensitive and Peace Promoting (CSPP) Guidebook for Government Information Officers shall also be launched by the OPAPRU’s Communications and Public Affairs Services to equip government communicators the knowledge and skills that they can use in their peacebuilding work.
Gawad Kapayapaan or Peace Awards will also be launched by OPAPRU to recognize the country’s peace advocates and highlight their contribution to the country’s peace and security.
Other National Peace Consciousness Month activities throughout the country are as follows:
– Peace Caravans
– Local Peace Engagements Support to Ugnayan sa Barangay and Serbisyo Caravan in ELCAC Priority Areas
– Regional Media Engagement in Catbalogan City, Samar
– Art Session for Martyrs Orphans and Internally Displaced Children with Moro artist Rameer Tawasil in Maguindanao
– Regional Youth Peace Conversation in the City of Borongan in Eastern Samar Province
– Peace Education for Former Rebels in Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga Del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay Province
– The SWAN Annual Assembly (Peace Conversation) in Calbayog City, Samar
– Regional Former Rebel Leaders’ Summit with Provision of Food and Non-Food Items in Zamboanga Sibugay Province
– Khidmat 2022: a Service Caravan for Moro National Liberation Font (MNLF) Communities and SportsPEACE 2022: Pagpahugut sin Parsugpatan para ha Kasajahitraan (Strengthening partnership toward peace) in Sulu
– Other Activities in support of the Executive Order No. 70 or the Whole-of-Nation Approach in Ending Loca Communist Armed Conflict
