Several religious leaders of majority and minority groups act as volunteer consultants for national institutions of a certain country or try to resolve conflicts between groups. The individuals and groups will be able to advice on how to approach their communities and transmit knowledge about cultures and traditions in their respective beliefs. Through this, bridges are built and contact among groups and between the executive and citizens becomes more trustful.

Several religious leaders of majority and minority groups act as volunteer consultants for national institutions of a certain country or try to resolve conflicts between groups. The individuals and groups will be able to advice on how to approach their communities and transmit knowledge about cultures and traditions in their respective beliefs. Through this, bridges are built and contact among groups and between the executive and citizens becomes more trustful.

Activity: Structure and Needs

Religious leaders and influential activists try to get together to resolve conflicts among and between religious communities and may teach persons working in national bureaucracies on certain aspects of religious life. The practitioners may also organize regular meetings among themselves to exchange information and hold training sessions. Matters covered range from personal conflicts up to institutional problems. These influential activists stay available as consultants and conflict-solvers through forming an official body that may easily be approached.

Objectives: Impact and Focus

Consultation network as a promising practice increases the executive’s understanding of the population they are working for and with by giving them a more direct access to populations they do not know, thus making them more likely to be trusted. This enhances the efficiency of collaborative endeavours by enabling a better communication between them and civil society, while needs are better understood. In the meantime, it involves religious leaders in the preservation of social peace their local communities and between them. The joint work between religious and state representatives increases understanding and respect between communities and within them. Moreover, religious communities learn how to solve conflicts among themselves instead of resorting to the state apparatus. This reduces tensions between them and pre-emptively tackles potential conflicts.

Field Data: Examples and Sources (Activity – Organisation/Individual – Location)

1.) Interfaith commission for the national police – Imam Moxir – Manila, Philippines

Imam Moxir, an influential imam in his community, initiated meetings with the national police forces that are largely composed of Christians. He organizes conflict resolutions with them and is the intermediary with Muslim adherents of faith. This enables the Muslim minority to have their voices heard on security matters.  

2.) Interfaith informal court of Justice – The Church Unity Commission – Johannesburg, South Africa

The Church Unity Commission in South Africa has chapters in every region of the country. In each chapter, it reunites important personalities such as religious leaders, businessmen or sometimes tribal chiefs to solve issues faced by their communities. The initiative has coordinated actions such as organizing workshops with communities in conflict and getting them to tell their life stories in story boards, solved religious oppositions in schools by engaging dialogue between the students and the staff or helped mourning families to get over their losses.