TIME flies. It seems like just yesterday when Fr. Joel and I, with the help of Fr. Dj and Josef, started setting up the Al Qalam Institute at the Ateneo de Davao University. We started with a small office in the Finster basement, full of energy and idealism. We just followed our passion. We started within the Ateneo community that bridge the religious gaps, biases, and misunderstandings among different groups and communities.
What is Al Qalam Institute? The word “Al Qalam” stands for "the pen” in Arabic. For more than 12 years, it worked tirelessly to promote interreligious and interfaith dialogues for peace-building. It is based in a Catholic, Jesuit, Filipino university. We also initially started as a think tank for public policy recommendations during the early part of the Bangsamoro peace process.
Al Qalam also focused on the prevention of violent extremism in Mindanao. Since its establishment in 2011, the Institute has collaborated with United Nations agencies, and the international communities including various embassies, and non-governmental organizations. The projects and research cover a range of thematic areas, such as preventing violent extremism, peace education, interfaith dialogue, youth empowerment, socio-economic reintegration, Islamic finance, madaris education, environmental sustainability, and Covid-19 response.
For this year’s celebration, we partnered with Central Mindanao Colleges to conduct the SALAAMindanao: Peace Research and Peace Education in Mindanao Conference. The Conference was a hybrid event that gathered administrators, faculty and students (preferably SHS, College, and Graduate School) of state and private academic institutions in Mindanao who are involved or are interested in engaging in developing peace research and implementing peace education interventions. This is a component of the KEEP Peace Project: Empowering Mindanaoan Youth through Formation, Instruction, and Engagement funded by GIZ -Civil Peace Service (CPS). The conference was held last September 1-2, 2023 at Kidapawan City, Province of Cotabato. The first day began with a solemn interfaith prayer led by representatives of different religious traditions in Mindanao. Prayers offered by Christians, Muslims, Indigenous peoples, and other faith traditions resounded with harmonious melodies, creating an atmosphere of unity and respect.
The discussions that followed were enlightening and inspiring. Experts and scholars from various fields, including religion, history, and conflict resolution, shared their insights on the importance of interfaith dialogue and how it could contribute to peace building in Mindanao. Participants eagerly listened, engaged in discussions, and shared personal anecdotes about how Al Qalam had positively impacted their lives and communities.
As I reflect on celebrating our 12th year anniversary, I realized that it was more than just a commemoration; it was a testament to the progress made in fostering peace and understanding amongst diverse religious groups. The two days-long event was filled with a series of thought-provoking topics, cultural performances, and interactive discussions. It provided a platform for individuals, regardless of their faith backgrounds, to come together and engage in dialogue about their experiences, fears, hopes, and aspirations for peace.
This year’s celebration served as a powerful reminder that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of understanding, empathy, and collaboration. On the last day of the conference, individuals carried with them a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to continue the journey towards lasting peace in Mindanao, ONE INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AT A TIME.