Tag: coffee for peace
Last 15-20 November 2024, Rev. Norman Dyck led a Mennonite delegation on a Partnership Appreciation Tour in Mindanao. The tour featured a series of impactful activities aimed at strengthening relationships and celebrating shared commitments to peacebuilding. Our itinerary: (a) dedication of the Malipayon Peace Hub in Davao del Sur, led by Bagobo Tagabawa and Talaandig tribal elders; (b) Sunday worship service at Managa Alliance Church; (c) reflective visit to the Bagobo Tagabawa Peace Shrine; (d) learning tour of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government center; (e) dialogue with the commander and leaders of Camp Darapanan, headquarters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF); and finally, (f) bonding with the Baraguir Clan of the Maguindanao Sultanate. This Partnership Appreciation Tour deepened companionships and highlighted the importance of collaboration in advancing peace, justice, and reconciliation in Mindanao, Philippines.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/11/22/canadian-mennonite-delegation-joins-mindanao-peace-workers-to-strengthen-partnerships/
Every year in October, the Talaandig people of the Philippines come together to celebrate their rich cultural heritage, identity, and resilience through the Annual Talaandig Day. This special day honors the history, traditions, and values of the Talaandig, an indigenous group living primarily in Bukidnon, a province in the heart of Mindanao. The celebration serves as a reminder of their ongoing struggle to preserve their ancestral lands, culture, and ways of life in a rapidly modernizing world. The Talaandig tribal leadership invited our team at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee For Peace (CFP) to celebrate with them and to express our solidarity as one of the guest speakers during the program. Here’s our reflection of that day, 14 October 2024.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/10/15/we-the-pbci-cfp-team-reaffirmed-our-solidarity-with-the-talaandig-indigenous-people/
On 28 August 2024, I was invited by Ateneo de Davao University to give a talk on Inter-Religious and Intercultural Dialogue among spiritual leaders from Christian, Islamic, and Indigenous Peoples’ communities in Mindanao. I shared how we, at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI), practice this kind of dialogue. We begin with intentional listening, focusing on understanding the worldview, values, and behavior patterns of others. This process forces us to confront our own biases and assumptions, which leads to both personal and communal transformation. Effective dialogue requires not only clarity in our own beliefs but also an understanding of the historical and social contexts that shape others’ perspectives. Dialogue also helps reveal the underlying needs driving various interests and behaviors, laying the groundwork for cooperative peacebuilding. Over time, this process fosters inclusive development, benefitting all communities involved. At PBCI, we believe listening is the first act of love, and love-driven listening can lead to lasting peace. Through genuine dialogue, adversarial relationships can be transformed, creating opportunities for collaboration and mutual development.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/08/30/inter-religious-and-inter-cultural-dialogue-lessons-from-the-experiences-of-peacebuilders-community/
In the realm of peacebuilding, the relationship between international and local peace organizations often fluctuates between two distinct modes of interaction: companionship and partnership. These modes represent different approaches, values, and outcomes, each significantly influencing the effectiveness and sustainability of peace efforts. Grasping the subtleties of these interactions is key to fostering genuine, lasting peace in conflict-affected regions. This dialogue began during the July 2024 gathering of Mennonite missionaries working in Asia, and subsequently became a topic of informal reflection among the staff and volunteers at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee for Peace (CFP) throughout the month of August. These concepts of partnership and companionship are illustrated through the relationship between our spiritual siblings at Mennonite Church Canada and us at PBCI-CFP.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/08/15/partnership-and-companionship-reflections-on-the-relationship-between-international-and-local-peace-organizations/
The Department of Sociology and Developmental Studies at Ateneo de Davao University has extended an invitation for us to collaborate as a partner in their Sociology Practicum Program. This program is designed to enrich students’ understanding of the social world by offering them hands-on experience through work with real communities, organizations, or institutions. The Sociology Practicum Program bridges academic learning with structured, supervised work experience, allowing students to apply classroom theories and principles in real-world settings. Through this integration, students are not only trained in the practical use of research and project management but are also guided in developing problem-solving skills rooted in sociological concepts.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/07/29/coffee-for-peace-accepts-ateneo-de-davao-universitys-sociology-students-as-interns/
As an intern, one of my responsibilities is to regularly read and reflect on various books and informative pieces. Recently, I read “How To Manage a Business that Does Good.” This activity is crucial because it broadens my understanding of key concepts related to social enterprises, peacebuilding, and the sociopolitical context in the Philippines. Reflecting on these readings helps me contemplate new ideas, challenge existing beliefs, and critically assess what I’m learning. This ongoing process of reading and reflection will work in tandem with my fieldwork. As I apply what I’ve learned in real-world settings, my perspective will be further enriched. The combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience will enhance my ability to contribute effectively to the projects I am involved in. Over the course of the year, this integrated approach will help me expand my worldview, making me a more informed and empathetic participant in the field of social enterprises and peacebuilding.
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/06/10/learning-the-theory-praxis-of-social-enterprise-as-part-of-my-internship-in-the-philippines/
Last 17-22 May 2024, I, Joji Pantoja, Board Chair and President of Coffee for Peace, had the privilege of traveling to the island provinces of Sulu and Basilan in the southern Philippines. Accompanying me on this journey was Joseph “Ka Boyet” Ongkiko, Executive Vice President of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. Our mission was clear and purposeful: to explore the potential for developing a sustainable coffee industry in these regions, fostering both economic growth and peace. We were invited by Maradeca Inc., a dedicated local non-governmental organization, and People in Need (PIN), a reputable international NGO. Both organizations recognized the transformative potential of coffee farming in these provinces and sought our expertise in designing a comprehensive training program for the local coffee farmers. This is part of the LEAP Project (Leveraging and Expanding Agri-Aqua Production), a groundbreaking initiative by PIN designed to boost economic development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
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Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2024/05/24/were-glad-to-be-involved-in-a-collaborative-coffee-industry-development-in-basulta/
