Kohima: Religious leaders must act as bridge-builders. They need to address growing polarization and champion respect for diversity. A national training program brought 45 priests and religious figures to Dimapur on July 18 to sharpen their skills in peacebuilding and reconciliation.
The Lead Academy organized the event alongside the North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research and Peace Channel. Fr VM Thomas opened the session by telling attendees their work must move beyond the pulpit. He stated, "Their role should extend beyond preaching to becoming facilitators of dialogue and peacebuilding." He noted that compassionate listening can resolve conflicts in families and communities.
Fr Dr CP Anto directed the training. He argued that peace requires justice, trust, and inclusion rather than just the absence of fighting. Participants spent the session learning active listening, empathy, mediation, and non-violent communication. They used role plays and group discussions to study conflict analysis and problem-solving.
The attendees left with a new promise to serve as ambassadors for peace. They plan to carry these lessons back to their parishes and schools to build more inclusive communities across India.
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