“Tulungan mong maiangat ang pangalang Mindanao mula sa kanyang pagkalugmok. Tutukan din sana ng iyong gobyerno ang pagsasaayos ng mga imprastruktura para sa transportasyon, turismo at pangangalakal dito sa Mindanao sapagkat lubusan na kaming naiiwan sa pag-unlad….” This is an excerpt from the winning letter of the ‘Dear P-Noy ‘: A Letter-Writing Contest Among Mindanao Youth which was awarded last August 20 at the Western Mindanao State University Law Auditorium. The letter writing contest was organized by the Voice of Mindanao The project aims to draw the young writers’ thoughts and aspirations for  their homeland and to gain their interest in peace communication.

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Dear President Noynoy : Voice of Mindanao successfuly conducts Letter Writing Contest

HIS name, Rameer Tawasil, precedes the man as one of Mindanao’s leading artists, and probably its best. Not quite incidentally, he finished his BS in Architecture at Western Mindanao State University in 1992, graduating with a plaque of merit for non-academic excellence. A Tausug, Rameer’s works – mostly and often in oil but some also in watercolor and other media – are one of a kind because his strokes are almost always patterned after the ukkil carving form that dominates and enlivens the woodworks, cloths and visual arts of his proud tribesmen. As such, he enjoys an established monopoly in this very special visual style. He relishes using bold, bright colors, which is another characteristic of Tausug artistry.

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Rameer Tawasil: Painting the Colors of Peace

THE screening committee of the prestigious Young Peace Weaver Award has selected 31 high school and college students graduating this year as its individual recipient-honorees.  Of the 31 awardees, 22 came from secondary schools and nine tertiary colleges.

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31 Graduating High School and College Students Are This Year’s Young Peace Weavers

PEACE Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ) and Youth Solidarity for Peace (YSP) conducted a Culture of Peace Orientation dubbed as “ A Day of Reflection and Dialogue” in its PAZ na LA PAZ Component and Integration last February 06-07, located at Km. 11 & 17, La Paz, Zamboanga City. The Culture of Peace Orientation is in partnership with Western Mindanao State University- College of Social Works and Community Development which is aimed at instilling in the minds and hearts of the children and youth of the community. Moreover, it is PAZ’s thrust in developing communities through COP approach. Eighty-five participants from two nearby communities of Km. 11 and Km. 17 actively participated in the various activities of the seminar.  It included the Adjective Names, Passing of the Peace Ball, an enhanced My Ideal Community, Thinking out of the Box as well as highlighting one’s commitment through Peace Petals after understanding some critical threats to peace.

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Culture of Peace Through “PAZ na La Paz”

Peace Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ) and Youth Solidarity for Peace (YSP) recently concluded the conduct of the Culture of Peace Trainers Training for Youth Leaders designed in preparation for the celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace last October 18, 2009 at Ebenezer Bible College, Upper Calarian, Zamboanga City.

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WEEK of PEACE Trainers Training for Volunteers Opened New Opportunities

Sixty-six children of the tri-people of Zamboanga received peace offerings from the “Claretian Peace Weavers” of Quezon City as one of the highlights of the Children and Youth Peace Assembly held in the afternoon of November 26 at the Scout Antonio Limbaga, Pasonanca Park. The assembly was preceded by a big parade held in the morning of the same day to launch this year’s celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace in the city. The 25 Muslim children of village of  Mariki, 21 Subanon children of Lintangan, and 20 Christian children of La Paz received cleanliness kits from the members of the Claretian Peace Weavers of the Claret schools of Quezon City, who joined in the parade as well as the afternoon activity.

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Kids Meet to Learn Peace-Making in Week of Peace Fete

The Mindanao Week of Peace is a comprehensive promotional activity that involves various GOs, NGOs, and PO’s in advocating the culture of peace in the Southern Philippines. It is a celebration of peace which was initiated in Zamboanga City by Peace Advocates Zamboanga Foundation, Inc. (PAZ) and SALAM Foundation in 1997

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Mindanao Week of Peace 2009

BlogFest.Asia , the first-ever pan-Asia bloggers’ conference, became a venue for introducing the Mindanao Bloggers Community to the world. Put together by the DotAsia Organisation (the registrar for .asia domain names) in Hong Kong from 6 to 8 November 2009, 3 Filipinos were present at BlogFest.Asia to provide the audience with primers on the Philippine blogosphere. (Actually there were 4 Filipinos there, but the fourth one was invited as the representative of Creative Commons – Asia.) It was the experience of Mindanao’s bloggers, however, that really got the attention of many of the participants.

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MB in Hong Kong

Thanks to UPF for organisation of another event and the extension of the invitation to speak today. I wish to dedicate my contribution to the silent voices of millions of people who were sacrificed by the Warmongers. This contribution will not focus on the scientific, technical or legal dimensions but on the political economy of war and address the 800 pound gorilla in the room which we are in denial.

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UN International Day Of Peace: Disarm Now Moeen Yaseen

Mindanao Peace Initiative – UK Briefing at the Philippine Embassy November 3rd, 2009 Please Download  -   Mindanao Peace Initiative – UK Powerpoint (Left to Right) Gene Alcantara, H.E. Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, Massimo Trombin, Charles Hardie, Robin Marsh For further photos please click here Posted in Peace and Development

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Mindanao Peace Initiative – UK: Conference at Philippine Embassy