Mindanao PO Festival Aims to Attain Peace and Development
Date Posted: November 30, 2007 (Friday)

Kidapawan City - About 250 representatives from the People's Organizations (PO), Government Line Agencies (DAR-STARCM, NCIP, NEDA XII, DSWD XII, LGUs, and IPHO), Funding Agencies, Media, the Academe and Civil Society Organizations who have assisted or presently assisting conflict and post communities in South Central Mindanao are expected to attend to a festival on community initiatives and best practices on December 4 - 6, 2007 at the Guadalupe Formation Center, Balindog, Kidapawan City.

The festival is a two-day celebration and showcasing of selected PO initiatives that resulted to better and transformed communities from situations of poverty and conflict. There will be 10 POs from the Province of Bukidnon, Maguindanao and North Cotabato who will be showcasing their best practices on the ground.

With the theme "Ipamahagi and Karanasan, Pagtibayin ang Natutunan, Ipagpatuloy ang Nasimulan", the festival further aimed to bring community initiatives and sound practices to the forefront of peace and development and to improve better relationships by building a culture of sharing and learning among stakeholders.

Furthermore, the festival will be held as a venue to distill the experiences of the PO presenters on the ground to generate lessons or insights that may help improve development work and community initiatives go deeper towards sustaining peace and development.

It is also expected that the festival will result to empower POs and other stakeholders to become partners in forging and crafting genuine peace and development in Central Mindanao. Organizers admittedly believe that in spite of the uniqueness and the diversity of our cultures, there are so many ways where people can move forward towards peace and progress. Through this festival, it is hoped that stakeholders will develop the culture of sharing and selfless giving.

The festival is organized by the Mindanao Land Foundation Inc. (MinLand) in collaboration with the Invisible Link - Cluster 1, an informal alliance of CSOs working in conflict affected areas in Mindanao and is supported by The World Bank Mindanao Trust fund - Reconstruction Development Program (MTF - RDP), MoveOn Philippines International and the Bangsamoro Development Agency. (MinLand)