Local Interreligious Peacemaking in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is home to four main religious communities: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. The clergy from each of these traditions help to shape public opinion in this deeply faithful nation, and are often turned to when local violence or inter-communal tension breaks out. Where religious clergy have worked across faith, ethnic, and other divides to resolve local conflict, prevent violence, advocate for justice, and promote inter-ethnic reconciliation, noteworthy positive transformations to support peace and reconciliation have occurred.
The first phase of the project worked separately with members of each of Sri Lanka's four main traditions to train over 100 clergy in peacemaking principles and strategies as defined by their religious tradition and conflict transformation theory. This program also trained clergy in conflict analysis and peace program design, implementation, and evaluation and offered support to them as they implemented locally-based peace projects within their religious communities.
The second stage of the project brings the clergy participants from each of the four traditions together for dialogue and training in inter-religious peacemaking. USIP will support the participants as they implement inter-religious reconciliation projects in their local communities.