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Caritas Sri Lanka: Human rights and religious education for peace building
by Melani Manel Perera
This is the theme of a training course (21-29 September) for 40 operators from Caritas India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Development projects to establish peace and justice in society, in Dhaka. Pakistan, seeking new tools to put an end to continuous clashes and fighting. The presentation of the guide "Human rights from a religious perspective."
Negombo (AsiaNews) - "Taking care of a wounded nation is our greatest and most immediate duty. In this process the Church can play a significant role", said Sigamoney George, director of Caritas Sri Lanka-Sedec, who opened a training course for 40 operators from Caritas India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Nine days (21-29 September) to prepare participants to play an active role in the peace process in their countries. The course - with the theme "Securing Peace in South Asia through religious education and human rights" – is being held at the Paradise Beach Hotel in Negombo (Western Province of Sri Lanka).
Francis Das, head of the regional office for Caritas Bangladesh in Khulna, says: "In our country we work on development projects, disaster management and assistance, through which we are trying to establish peace and justice in society. This training will strengthen our working strategies for greater success. "
"Compared to our country - said Titus Gill, coordinator of the Health and Disaster Management for Caritas Pakistan – in Sri Lanka there is no discrimination, despite the many ethnicities and religions. With us, however, there is always an atmosphere of conflict and fighting. For this reason we hope to gain more knowledge, identify effective strategies and new tools to improve our work. "
During the inaugural session - which was attended by the Papal Nuncio Joseph Spiteri, the Canadian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Bruce Levy, the head of the Human Resources Fr. Marianus Kujur SJ - Caritas Sri Lanka-Sedec has presented the guidebook "Human rights from a religious perspective."