The Idea of peacebuilding is not new, every country across the globe insists on promoting peace and harmony in its place. Peace and development are very closely linked, and both have similar objectives and goals to rebuild a society that is physically, economically, and socially injured. Caritas India rolled out ‘Samvaad’, a peacebuilding and reconciliation program in seven districts of western Uttar Pradesh to educate the communities and make them conscious and concerned about peace for social justice, cooperation and self-reliance which is a long-term and collaborative process. This program aims to create peace and harmony in the communities that have experienced communal strife in history and had gone through the loss of lives and property. Caritas India envisions the communities living in harmony without any conflict and valuing peoples and their beliefs, culture and traditions. Peacebuilding needs a collaborative approach which involves several people coming forward to sensitize, create awareness and conflict resolutions. Keeping in mind the role of every individual and group, Caritas India had come up with the Samvaad program which has connected all stakeholders to bring them on a single platform for sensitizing them and ensuring their role as a stakeholder in building peace and creating harmony. In the last one year of Samvaad, Caritas India and her partners addressed men, women, children and youths in the community with different stakeholders like interfaith leaders, influencers and govt. stakeholders.

Suchetna, the Bareilly Diocese of Social Service (BDSS) is working in twelve villages of Amaria block of Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh. This block has a mixed religious population and within a year, the program was able to bring all representatives from different faiths to one platform for Samvaad peacebuilding. BDSS Suchetna is regularly meeting the communities and stakeholders for creating a strong collaboration for a block-level initiative to promote peace and harmony. The partner under the Samvaad peacebuilding program had initiated a dialogue with different stakeholders through the Citizen forum platform which was constituted during the last year where the members of this forum were sensitised on peacebuilding to create a conducive environment to live together in harmony. The citizen forum comprises interfaith leaders and other influencers from the community including panchayat heads, veteran citizens and Govt. departments who are representing the society and are entrusted with the responsibility to initiate a dialogue to prevent any kind of communal riots.

The block-level Citizen forum meeting was called by BDSS to get their opinion on promoting peace and negating communal conflicts in their areas. Caritas India representative from Samvaad program addressed the participants and guest speaker on the importance of peacebuilding in the development process of society. He said that we all play an essential role in society to create harmony and peace which is the essence of the development process of every nation. He said that Caritas India is looking forward to ensuring peace and harmony in the communities at this moment when our country recently observed its seventy-fifth year of independence.

Shri Kanwaljeet Gyani Ji representative from Gurdwara Badapura shared that our religion always talks about love and peace, and every individual must follow what religion speaks. He narrated the story of a person who at an early age prayed to God for strength so that he can improve society, but he couldn’t do, so he prayed so he can correct his family members, but he failed again and at last prayed or strength and wisdom so that he can correct himself in front of God and eventually God responded to his prayer. He realized that self-introspection is the only action which can change society, once you change yourself you can change others. In the end, he said that everyone can influence others in their life to live in peace if they live in harmony together.

Likewise, Shri Manoj Mishra, a priest from Lal baba temple and Shri Harisaran Baba Ji from shiv temple said that no religion talks about wrong deeds and neither does it promote any difference among the human being, we all are one and we should love each other with our heart. Shri Tej Bahadur, ADO from Amaria block also addressed the forum meeting and said that God has created all of us the same so why should we differentiate people, we should live in unity and peace. Sister Magdalene shared the Christian perspective that God created each one of us in his image and we should love and respect everyone. She said the bible tells us to love each other as God love us. The meeting participant were stakeholders from panchayat and community members who agreed on the messages shared and said in today’s world peace and harmony are very important for the development of society. This block-level meeting of citizen forums has created a platform for all interfaith leaders and stakeholders to come to one platform to contribute to the peacebuilding of their nation.