By Bill W. Cooper
As means of maintaining the country’s fragile peace, the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) with support from the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) with today embark on a two-day in-country peace workshop for Liberia.
The two-day in-country peace workshop which will run from September 16-17, at the Boulevard Palace Hotel in Monrovia is in continuation of the implementation of the different activities/interventions as proposed in the 2019/2023 strategy of the AACC.
Making the disclosure to this paper in an exclusive interview yesterday in Monrovia, the LCC General Secretary, Rev. Christopher Toe pointed out that the overall objectives of the in-country workshop is to empower church leaders and practitioners play proactive roles in deepening culture of peace and peaceful coexistence in Liberia.
The LCC General Secretary intoned that participants expected to the training workshop are 30 church leaders and practitioners composed of men, women and youths from the AACC member churches in Liberia.
He noted, “At the end of the training, we expect that the 30 church leaders will be refreshed on the role of the church in the transformation of their action, as well as enhanced engagement/increased involvement of church leaders in the peace and reconciliation agenda.”
According to him, the methodological approach of the workshop will be strengthening peace consolidation, church leaders’ action in the COVID-129 response and recovery process, the Biblical approaches to peace-building and conflict transformation/resolution strategies.
Others are conflict prevention and mitigation mechanisms, the role of church leaders in peace building and national reconciliation including the national roadmap for peace, reconciliation, healing and what role the church can play.
Rev. Toe further explained that the decision to also initiate the two-day in-country workshop is as a result of the too many violence that have engulfed Liberia and other neighboring countries with Guinea’s saga being the latest example.
He added that the need for the workshop to be organized in Liberia at this time can never be overemphasized since the religious community plays a major role in the reconciliation process and the maintenance of the country’s fragile peace.
“As we all know, the peace that one can enjoy or sustain is the one that comes from God which is championed by the church. At the climax of this workshop, a communication which will help speak out the voice of the church for political actors, stakeholders and other well-meaning Liberians to follow and use as guard in maintaining Liberia’s peace will be out,” the LCC GS averred.
Meanwhile, Rev. Toe further pointed out that those expected at the opening of the two-day in-country workshop are former vice-president, Joseph N. Boakai who will serve as Keynote speaker, the LCC president, Bishop Kortu K. Brown and AACC head, Rev. Charles Berahino.
Other guests include former Chief Justice, Gloria Musu Scott, the president of the University of Liberia (UL), Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson, Liberia Peace Building Office Director, Edward Mulbah and the Executive Director of Messenger for Peace, Gwendolyn Myers among others.