The OMNIA Institute for Contextual Leadership has trained 420 Inter-faith Peacemaker Teams (IPTs) in Montserrado, Bomi, and Grand Cape Mount counties. The group’s goal is to reduce extremism, conflict, and violence for the affirmation of sustainable peace worldwide.
Through the five days of consultations and peacemakers training, OMNIA trained 420 peacemakers who were organized into 21 IPTs. The peacemaker teams were formed by the rising issues that are affecting the respective communities. The teams also considered Muslims, Christians, and Traditional Elders amongst others.
OMNIA is convinced that working jointly as a community, regardless of our faith, will greatly help to adequately address our challenges and stand tall to our problems. The organization which has existed for 46 years has trained 4000 peacemakers worldwide who are organized into peacemaker teams.
Making a commitment to help Liberia’s IPTs achieve these goals, OMNIA’s Leadership Team Leader in Nigeria Rev. Dr. Abare Kallah pledged the organization’s persistent support to the initiative. Dr. Kallah who is representing OMNIA in Liberia has continuously cautioned Liberians to take pride in building sustainable peace. The Nigerian clergyman further stated that including every faith in peacebuilding is the best solution to sustainable peace.
Dr. Kallah further stated that the essence of the IPTs project is to train communities on how to take initiative. He also stated “In other to give peace you should also love peace” according to him this is the interest of OMNIA.
According to Rev. Dr. Abare Kallah, peacebuilding assessment shows that Liberians are prepared to lead the peace. He further stated that the participants’ involvement was encouraging.
The participants of the workshop however applauded OMNIA through CCC for recognizing Liberia as a focal point of the IPT initiative, something according to them is the first of its kind in their respective communities. The participants believed that collaborating with religious groupings, elders and other civil society actors of the county is the best way to achieve peacebuilding.
Making remarks, CCC Chief Executive Director Bishop Kortu K. Brown re-emphasized that the eleven (11) IPTs in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Montserrado counties will be launched in November this year. According to the group leader, the occasion will bring together local and national government officials, youth networks, and other stakeholders of the three counties.
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