Monrovia – A
The workshop, sponsored by GIZ and African Union’s iDove project in collaboration with Daughters of Bomi (DOBI) brought together scores of participants from Montserrado, Bomi and Margibi Counties.
The Interfaith Dialogue on Violent Extremism (iDove) is an initiative between the Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO), Institute of Peace and Security (IPSS)-Africa and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).
The rationale behind this project is to establish a counter movement which emphasizes peaceful and educational messages; touch upon contentious religious matters; provide space for dialogue; identify, compare and contrast the root causes emanating from the different countries, regions or continents i.e. developmental & sociopolitical issues in both continents. In addition, this approach will as well require security and developmental stakeholders to put into consideration local and international faith based organizations/institutions as key drivers of peace building, sustainable development and reconciliation.
According to Rexandria Benson-Nyanti, manager of DOBI, the workshop grew out of a training she attended alongside 40 leaders from Europe and Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaking at the workshop, the executive director of Young Peace Builders, Sierra-Leone, Herbert B. Bangura, called on the participants to unite around humanity. “Let’s protect the future as young people,” he said. “Don’t allow religion to be used to incite hate.”
Violent extremism is becoming a problem in many places on the continent. A year or two ago, armed men attacked a resort in the Ivory Coast, killing scores of westerners and Ivoirians alike, raising eyebrows that Liberia, one of the few western hotspot countries in the sub-region could become next – a situation which Mrs. Nyanti dreads.
It can be recalled the British Embassy issued a travel alert for its citizens in Liberia, causing a further panic amongst many Liberians and westerners alike.