Biography Narrative

Rogelio P. Lelis, Jr. earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2012 from the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU), where he is currently a Lecturer at the undergraduate program of the Department of Psychology. While completing his masteral studies, he has affiliated with the ADDU Center of Psychological Extension and Research Services (COPERS), the community engagement arm of the Department of Psychology. In the last three years, COPERS had given him increased responsibility to handle special projects. Highly trained for post-disaster Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Lelis delivers MHPSS interventions and psychosocial services to a diverse population in times of disasters – both human-initiated and natural hazard-induced. He also assists in organizing symposia and workshops on themes of major concern of the center including psychoeducation, disaster management, and intercultural and interreligious dialogue, among others. COPERS recognizes his enthusiastic and creative innovations of culturally-appropriate applications of social psychology for peacebuilding and conflict resolution. His interest to become an agent of interreligious dialogue began 5 years ago as a student volunteer where he was exposed to the relevance of understanding the needs of grassroots communities of varying religious beliefs. He believes that dialogue is pivotal in promoting peace and reconciliation.

Interreligious Activities and Initiatives

Conflict Transformation for Regional Peace Movement

This is a new project that 4 fellows in 3 different countries will create a peace training program, followed by a peace walk and a peace charter that each of the participant will adhere to. Since we were alumna of KAICIID Fellowship, we want to create a regional peace network as a pilot project of other regional peace projects. We have goal that we can hold this project yearly to maintain and streghten regional peace network. We realize that we can’t make peace happen by doing it with our own. We need to work and collaborate with another to make this world a better place to live.

RAJAH MUDA PEACE EDUCATORS GUILD: Training elementary teachers on peace education

This project aims to bridge this gap by training elementary school teachers on peace education who will not solely comply with the mandate of the law but are going to be peacekeepers and peacebuilders by heart. To attain this goal, the proponent finds it necessary to begin the training by tracing back the participants’ psychological construction of peace as many of them, if not all, have also experienced the wrath of war and the peril of insecurity in one way or another. The project will further train teachers on the key elements of peace as seen through their context and how to integrate these elements in their curriculum. This will then be augmented with trainings on teaching methodologies suitable for elementary grade levels to effectively convey it to their students. As the program progresses, teachers will be exposed to other schools of peace, encouraged to propose school-based peace projects, and urged network with other like-minded teachers and schools to strengthen their peace network.