The seminar started with presentation and discussion of a study assessing the current situation and the potential of cultural practices (incl. tara bandu and nahe biti bo’ot) to strengthen conflict prevention and resolution. Participants then learned from officials from the Martial Arts Regulatory Commission (KRAM) and the State Secretariat for Equality and Inclusion (SEII) about the law governing martial arts groups and the law on violence against women and children. Traditional leaders and youths shared their knowledge and experiences in a dialogue on how to strengthen cultural practices for conflict resolution and promotion of peace. The voices and needs of youths, women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups received a special focus.

“The purpose of the Peace Seminar was to increase the community’s knowledge and strengthen the understanding of everyone, especially youth, on conflict prevention and promoting communal peace through cultural practices,” said Mr Luis Ximenes, the director of the NGO Belun.

“Youths should be authors of development, not of violence. To promote peace in our society, we must start in the family. We all have parents, aunts and uncles, and we share a common culture. It is very important to respect one another and use our culture to promote peace,” added Mr Franciso dos Santos Pereira, the representative of the Administrator of Liquiça Municipality. 

“The Peace Seminar involves local and traditional leaders promoting the positive value of cultural mechanisms while ensuring that these practices are inclusive of youth and responsive to the needs of the all groups in a community, especially women, people with disability, and vulnerable groups. These seminars facilitate intergenerational dialogue, and enhance collaboration between youths, traditional leaders, and local leaders”, said Ms Erine Dijkstra, Country Director of ChildFund Timor-Leste.

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About this project

The Strengthening Social Cohesion Project: promoting inclusive and culture-based practices for conflict prevention, preparedness, and resolution through youth-focused peacebuilding is a project implemented in Lampung in Indonesia and Liquiça in Timor-Leste, and co-funded by the European Union with EUR 999,998. The project is implemented by ChildFund International in Indonesia, and in Timor-Leste by ChildFund Timor-Leste in partnership with the NGOs Ba Futuru and Belun.