YFPM-SSG Comval set to launch 1st Province-wide In-School Peace Symposium amid Peace Month

NABUNTURAN, CVP - The Youth for Peace Movement Comval (YFPMCV) has partnered with the Supreme Student Government (SSG) of Compostela Valley to conduct the Province-wide Campus Peace Symposium (CPS) which is set to open on September 4 (Monday) this year.

The simultaneous month-long symposium with the theme "Kabataang Mag-aaral, Makiisa sa Usaping Pangkapayapaan Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Comval," aims to involve the youth, particularly the student sector in peace dialogue by bringing the peace tables at the grassroots level.

According Alexis Micutuan, President of YFPM Comval, the Campus Peace Symposium will empower the students as peace advocates in their campuses to support the Department of Education's declaration of its schools as "Zones of Peace." He also said that the event is in support of the ongoing Peace Talks between the Philippine Government and the rebel groups.

"The youth is one of the largest sectors affected by this conflict, and we are hoping that the Comval youth will largely contribute to the discussions being done by the Philippine Government with the rebel groups at the higher tables through this effort," Mr. Micutuan added.

The CPS will be conducted in 55 schools all over Compostela Valley (5 schools per municipality) with an estimated 150 student leaders in attendance per school. It will be facilitated by trained SSG Officers and advisers from every participating school with the assistance of YFPMCV municipal volunteers.

Last August 30, 2017, a Training of Trainers was conducted by the YFPMCV to orient the facilitators about the concept of the symposium and equip them with skills to effectively train their participants. The training was supported by the DepEd Comval by providing a memorandum to selected schools for their participation.

CPS is a grassroots replication of the Mindanao Youth Peace Tables initiated by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and participated by YFPM Comval volunteers last May 15-19, 2017 at Davao City.

Aside from DepEd and OPAPP, CPS is also in close partnership with the 1001st Infantry Brigade, PA, and PLGU Comval through its Youth Development Office. It will culminate on September 30, 2017, during the closing of the International Peace Month celebration.

Writer: Peace Communication Committee | YFPM Compostela Valley