The Joseph Maren Peace Foundation has trained community volunteers on peacebuilding in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, as part of efforts to strengthen grassroots responses to conflict and promote harmony among residents. The training, held at the NUT Hall Bokkos, brought together young people from various districts within the local government area.
The initiative aimed to equip participants with practical skills and knowledge to promote non-violence, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence in their communities.
The State Coordinator of the Joseph Maren Peace Foundation, David Nanpet Dala, welcomed volunteers to the peacebuilding training. He appreciated the youths for attending and encouraged them to take the lessons from the training seriously in order to promote peace and unity in their communities.
He stressed the need for communities to take a new approach toward addressing recurring conflicts, noting that peace can only be sustained when people work together and remain committed to protecting their villages and supporting one another.
Speaking during the peacebuilding training, Prof. Joseph Maren Sampson, National Director of the Joseph Maren Peace Foundation, said his passion for peaceful communities inspired the establishment of the foundation. He explained that for over two decades he has been involved in promoting peace across communities in Nigeria.
“I have been involved in peacebuilding for over 20 years, moving from one community to another to ensure that people can live together peacefully and that conflicts are resolved through dialogue and understanding,” he said.
He noted that through the initiative titled “Building Bridges: A Community Initiative for Peace,” the foundation is training local peace volunteers drawn from various communities. According to him, the volunteers will be equipped with skills such as negotiation, reconciliation, and peace advocacy so they can return to their communities to promote peaceful coexistence.
Prof. Maren also pointed out that ignorance, negative perceptions among communities, and religious intolerance remain some of the major challenges to peacebuilding. He emphasized the need for tolerance and mutual understanding among people of different faiths and backgrounds in order to reduce recurring conflicts in Bokkos.
Drawing from the scripture, Rev. Elisha Kalma Sambo, Assembly Chaplain of All Saint Protestant Church and part of the Nigeria Police Chaplaincy at Barki Ladi Police Barrack, emphasized using Romans 12:18-21, stating that “we are not here in the name of religion but for peace,” and highlighted that lasting peace begins with each individual.
The Facilitator, Alfred Abason Otsa, who lectures volunteers on Local Community Peace Projects and humanity, emphasized that building bridges of peace in communities requires forgiveness, respect, patience, and tolerance. He highlighted that dehumanization, stigmatization, and intolerance based on religion, tribe, or language hinder harmony, and encouraged volunteers to prioritize humanity, embrace diversity, and share ideas to prevent future conflicts and promote unity.
In a goodwill message, the Division Police Officer of Bokkos LGA, represented by ASP Mohammed Garba, urged volunteers to remain vigilant and always share accurate and reliable information. He also warned against protecting or hiding criminals, emphasizing the crucial role of community cooperation in maintaining peace and security.
DSC Yakson Geofrrey Bitrus of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps emphasized that peace begins within and extends to the wider community, requiring advocacy, mediation, and cooperation. He urged volunteers to promote reconciliation, share reliable information, and respond to conflict with patience and mercy, stressing that true peacemakers value humanity above religion and play an active role in fostering harmony.
Sir Don Maren warned against hating one another in the name of religion or tribe, emphasizing that true peace begins with a change of mindset. He encouraged volunteers to embrace the principles of dialogue, mediation, and social cohesion through the “Building Bridges of Peace” initiative, urging them to take ownership of the foundation’s work, promote harmony in their communities, and continue fostering peace as an ongoing process for the benefit of all.
A Volunteer Comr. Maren Isa’ac Samuel commended the Joseph Maren Peace Foundation for its impactful work in Bokkos, expressing gratitude to National Director Joseph Maren for training local peace volunteers. He noted that, as a volunteer, he plans to apply the skills learned, which include dialogue, mediation, and collaboration in other to foster peace and harmony within his community.
