BUTUAN CITY, Philippines - In an effort to dramatize the ''peace campaign'' in the country's second largest island which is the so-called ''Land of Promise,'' the Caraga Conference for Peace and Development (CCPD) is set to welcome more than 1,000 participants coming from various provinces, cities, and towns for the weeklong ''2010 Mindanao Week of Peace'' celebration that reels of on Thursday in this city. The CCPD, set as a secretariat, is spearheaded by Founding Chairman Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos of the Diocese of Butuan, who was also the former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). The CCPD, along with other religious groups, local government units (LGUs), line agencies of the government, and all sectors of society including various ethnic leaders in this region will welcome the delegates for the weeklong celebration of the ''Mindanao Week of Peace'' that will last up to December 1, with the theme ''Responsive and Responsible Governance: Key to Peace, Development and Sustainability.''
In a press conference, Fr. Carlito Clase, executive director of CCPD, said the celebration will involve various activities that will be implemented for the whole week. He said participants who are also from the business sector, civil society organizations, peoples organizations and Mindanao's local government leaders, will be engaged in various activities that will not only promote solidarity, cooperation and the culture of peace, ''but also environmental care and protection.'' ''The celebration of the 'Mindanao Week of Peace' is not only a reaffirmation of our commitment of peace, it is also our reaffirmation of our commitment and advocacy of the value of life through peace and development,'' stressed Fr. Clase. He added that the celebration is primarily aimed to build the culture of peace among Christians, Muslims and Lumads.
