First National Summit on Peace and Reconciliation.
The first National Summit on Peace and Reconciliation, which has been taking place in Beira since yesterday, will produce a resolution that will embody a commitment to reconciliation and effective forgiveness among Mozambicans.
The Deputy Minister of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs, Joaquim Veríssimo, made a statement to this effect at the opening of the event, adding that each participant should be a daily bearer of peace and tireless disseminator of the results and recommendations of the summit in their families and communities as a real contribution to the exercise of citizenship.
“The actions that are defined throughout the work of this summit will be incorporated into the project being drafted by the Council of Religions of Mozambique (COREM) to be implemented in the next five years (2018-2023), to be monitored and evaluated by all those involved,” he added.
Artemisa Franco, the coordinator of the Platform for Peace and National Reconciliation at COREM, said that the resolution to be produced would be signed by the main stakeholders and participants.
“The summit resolution will propose concrete solutions and condemn the high rates of political violence and intolerance in the country,” she said.
According to Franco, the general objectives of this event are to reinforce the spirit of peace, national reconciliation and unity of the nation; to pray for the divine and spiritual healing of souls; to identify challenges and inspire the spirit of cohesion, collaboration and ways of improving dialogue and broadening ongoing peace efforts; and to develop a collective understanding of the future of Mozambique free of political-military conflicts, and with values based on respect, social justice and human rights.
Franco said it was hoped that the summit would also serve to boost an open national dialogue between various segments of society, especially among the main political contenders, namely the government and Renamo.
A total of nine themes were listed, to be addressed by Sheik Aminudim, president of COREM; General Hama Thai, a member of the National Defence Council; Leonardo Simão, chairman of the Joaquim Chissano Foundation; His Majesty Hosi Mahumani, of the South African Traditional Authority; João Barros, director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies at the Higher Institute of International Relations (ISRI); Selma Innocencia, journalist; Paula Vera Cruz, president of Fórum Mulher and Prakash Prelhad, chairman of the General Assembly of CTA.
The governor of Sofala, Helena Taipo, the German ambassador, Detlev Wolter, and the representative of the president of the Beira Municipal Council, José Manuel, also spoke at the opening of the summit yesterday.
Helena Taipo highlighted that Sofala was chosen to host this summit as the province most affected by the conflict and the region where the leader of Renamo is based.
The summit ends today with the presentation of conclusions and recommendations, and final considerations to be made by the director of the Religious Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs, Aaron Litsuri.
The date of the next summit, to take place next year, is also to be announced.
#Reference: Source: Notícias Club of Mozambique