ICT project to help bring peace in Mindanao – UK Embassy

Connecting young people through the use of information and communications technology (ICT) may help resolve the decades-old conflict in Mindanao, the British government stressed Wednesday. British Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie said the United Kingdom is pushing for its project, dubbed PeaceTech, that aims to bridge cultural and geographic barriers between Muslim and non-Muslim students through the use of video conferences. These video conferences, Lillie said, are conducted between public high schools in Metro Manila and those in conflict-ridden areas such as Iligan City, Zamboanga City and other parts of the Philippines’ southern region. According to the British ambassador, communication remains to be the cornerstone of peace-building efforts, especially in light of a rapidly evolving technology that allows better and faster means of communication. As part of the project, a video conference was done Tuesday between students of Esteban Abada High School in Manila and Zamboanga College of Marine Science and Technology in Zamboanga City. “We support peace efforts in communities affected by conflict," Lillie said in a statement Tuesday, adding Britain’s bilateral program fund has been supporting peace-building projects to help find solutions for lasting peace in Mindanao. “[PeaceTech] promotes understanding and acceptance of cultural and religious differences between young people, which is an important part of the peace building process," Lillie explained. PeaceTech founder Robin Pettyfer said one of the best ways to eliminate tension and ignorance of the issue is to bring these young people face to face, at least virtually. "We are doing this in on a mass scale. By bringing two sides together they can realize for themselves that the other is not to be feared. This is especially useful in societies torn by misunderstanding and tension," he said. The innovative methods of Peacetech complement school curricula on peace education, communications, and history, according to the British Embassy. “By tackling the structural causes leading to conflict, the project clarifies misinterpretations about issues and promotes solidarity among people of different backgrounds," Pettyfer said. — With Jerrie Abella/VS, GMANews.TV