FORB: Common ground summit
The Common Ground Summit, themed “Building Bridges that Last,” marked the conclusion of the Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) project. This summit was the final event of a one year journey that began with the training of over 50 participants. The goal was simply to help people of different faiths live together in peace and unity so prosperity can thrive. At the summit, the five common ground points developed from the start of the project which includes Faith without Fear, Respect, Forgive, and Rebuild, Justice and Opportunity for All, Peace is the Future, Stronger Together were strongly emphasized once again.
The summit brought together 77 attendees from different backgrounds, including religious leaders, civil society groups, security agencies, government representatives, educators, and peace advocates. Four major resolutions were reached which are:
- Government agencies should follow effective models for conflict resolution and to promote religious freedom;
- Civil society organizations should increase their efforts in peacebuilding;
- Government should create policies that protect Freedom of Religion and Belief;
- also, faith based schools should be more inclusive and supportive of students from different religious backgrounds.
Despite the achievements especially among young participants who are now promoting peace in their communities, the need for this work remains urgent, as many communities still face religious division and violence. To truly build safe and united communities where people can live, pursue their businesses and thrive without fear, this initiative must continue. We therefore call on sponsors, partners, and all lovers of peace to support this cause. Together, we can extend this message of unity to more communities. We can be reached via +2348145334387
We also appreciate @skandinaviska_barnmissionen and @childrensmissionafrica for bringing this important project to Plateau State. To all other partners, we are grateful.
