Conflicts addressed by religious arbiters
The Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding recognizes individuals for their local efforts for peace in their communities of origin and also facilitates new interventions on the ground by network members.
Building Peace in Nigeria:
In 2010, five members of the Peacemakers in Action Network traveled to Nigeria to contribute to the peaceful transition of power during the 2011 national elections. This delegation was led by Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye, who Tanenbaum recognized in 2000 for contributing to peace between Nigeria’s Muslims and Christians. Also included in the delegation were Azhar Hussain of Pakistan, Yehezkel Landau of Israel, and Friar Ivo Markovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The delegation conducted a series of conflict resolution seminars; amplified their message through the country’s major news outlets; and consulted with key political, religious, and civil service leaders. Overall, the Peacemakers delegation was successful in easing the tensions between Nigeria’s political and religious groups during the 2011 election cycle.
Building Peace in Honduras
In 2011 and 2013, two Peacemakers José “Chencho” Alas of El Salvador and Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge of South Africa traveled to Honduras to aid grassroots democratic activism in the country. These Peacemakers worked closely with a grassroots organization called the Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular (FNRP), which unites churches, student groups, political activists, NGOs, labor unions, and Indigenous groups who unite in protest against political repression by the government. Alas and Madlala-Routledge led two capacity-building workshops that equipped participants with skills in nonviolent resistance and collective action. Furthermore, Madlala-Routledge created a partnership between the FNRP and the African National Congress of South Africa.
