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The resolution was passed on November 16 in Cagayan de Oro City, a copy sent by the BUC to MindaNews today, showed.
The resolution urged legislators to “pass a law obliging the Department of Education to develop a curriculum towards creating the culture of peace through respectful dialogue for elementary and high schools throughout the land that should be directed in demolishing walls that divide and build bridges that reconcile.”
The group said they are “deeply disturbed” by the “continuing deterioration of peace and order in our country” and “deplore the role of negative attitudes between religious groups (particularly among Christians, Muslims and Lumads) that contribute heavily to mistrust, misunderstanding, building of negative images directed to each other (Moro image and Bisaya Image).”
The resolution noted that after “some meaningful discussions,” they agreed to “constructively help in building bridges of peace and reconciliation thus contributing largely in making the country a Strong Republic.”
The group also urged government agencies in Mindanao “to bring about a genuine and lasting peace to strengthen their efforts in dialogues for peace and economic development to bring justice to every home.”
The resolution came 13 days before the start of the Mindanao Week Of Peace (MWOP), a yearly celebration held every last Thursday of November to the first Wednesday of December.
This year’s MWOP theme is “Building Bridges of Peace with our Peace Officers.”