PeaceTech 4: Overcoming challenges for our indigenous youth

The theme of PeaceTech 4 is “Overcoming Challenges for Our Indigenous Youth.” Through a panel of young Indigenous storytellers from Mindanao and Luzon, your youth leaders will experience the common challenges facing the Philippines’ Indigenous youth. They will then hear stories of empowerment about young IPs strengthening their respective cultures. Finally, they will participate in creating joint resolutions between Mindanao and Luzon that will be sent to the government.

As with all PeaceTechs, youth from all backgrounds are encouraged to contribute to the dialogue. This includes Bangsamoro youth and other non-IPs.

PeaceTech is a new form of talk show connecting youth from Luzon all the way to Mindanao in live videoconferences. By leveraging technology, the series is uniting thousands of youth from all sectors in a mass dialogue about their future and the Philippines’ future.

UNICEF and the Australian and Canadian governments are supporting the series. Countless Filipino organizations, universities, schools, community groups and government agencies are involved.

PeaceTech 3: Women in Conflict and Peace Building

Two mothers. One widowed by a NPA land mine. The other by AFP soldiers. Both struggling to raise a family. Both struggling with their loss. But now, both talking with one another over hundreds of miles on giant screens.

They are two examples of the women who will unite on screen in front of hundreds of youths: a former NPA fighter who surrendered for her six children; the wife of an MILF commander who hid with her family for one year; and two women peace builders.

“PeaceTech 3: Women in Conflict and Peace Building ” focuses on how armed conflict affects women and the family unit. It then analyzes how women can increase their role in peace making.
This episode is expected to attract even greater numbers of youth as momentum builds for this regional talk show being launched in the Philippines .

A partnership between UNICEF, the Australian Agency for International Development, the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, the Assisi Development Foundation, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the Center for Peace Education of Miriam College is running the series.

This time Peace Tech will air between Quezon City and Cotobato City . The audiences will represent many mothers, youth and children including: former NPA; MILF; and AFP soldiers; children from conflict zones; Muslims, Indigenous Peoples, Christians; out-of-school youth; and students from many schools and universities. Provinces represented include: Zamboanga del Sur; Maguindanao; Sultan Kudarat; N.Cotobato; Lanao del Norte; Lanao del Sur; Davao ; Agusan del Sur, Negros Occidental; Camarines Sur; Quezon; Cavite-Laguna; Nueva Ecija; Benguet; Mountain Province ; and Isabela

GMA 7’s Kara David will emcee PeaceTech 3 from Quezon City . Journalist Samira Gutoc will emcee from Cotobato City .

The 7-part PeaceTech series is leveraging videoconferencing technology to build solidarity and catalyze change through dialogues on a mass scale. Lessons from the talk shows are sustained through regular on-line chats and through community projects.

Cable technology is donated by the Philippine Long Distance Company.

UP Diliman and Notre Dame University are hosting the event.

PeaceTech 2: "Overcoming Prejudice and Discrimination"

Young Muslims, indigenous peoples and Christians from all over the Philippines will pour into PeaceTech 2. for a live videoconference on giant screens to unite against discrimination.
PeaceTech 2 is expected to attract even greater numbers of youth as momentum builds for the global talk show being launched in the Philippines.

A partnership between UNICEF, AusAid, the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives and the Assisi Development Foundation is running the series.
PeaceTech 2 will focus on overcoming prejudice towards Muslims, indigenous peoples and even Christian minorities.

The live dialogue between Kabacan, N.Cotobato and Quezon City will include a unique array of guests: A young Christian in Mindanao, forced to convert to Islam or face possible death; A young Muslim in Manila, fired from work for revealing his faith; and agroup of indigenous youth claiming severe discrimination at an international conference for indigenous peoples in their own country.

GMA 7’s Kara David will emcee PeaceTech 2 from Quezon City. Ms. Baicon Macaraya of Marawi City will emcee from N.Cotobato.

The audiences will represent many groups including: former MILF; AFP soldiers; PNP; children from conflict zones; Muslims, Indigenous Peoples, Christians; out-of-school youth; and students from many schools and universities. Provinces represented include: Zamboanga del Sur; Maguindanao; N.Cotobato; Lanao del Norte; Davao; Negros Occidental; Camarines Sur; Quezon; Cavite-Laguna; Nueva Ecija; Benguet; Mountain Province; and Isabela.

The 7-part PeaceTech series is leveraging videoconferencing technology to build solidarity and catalyze change through dialogues on a mass scale. Lessons from the talk shows are sustained through regular on-line chats and through community projects.

UNICEF wants to model the series for a global talk show that will connect youth from countries divided by conflict. Communications Officer, Dale Rutstein, says: “It is vital that we provide opportunities for young people to express their opinions on the issues that affect them. With PeaceTech 1 we could feel the power of telecommunication technology to bring together those who remain so far apart on many levels. By focusing this instrument on the young people of the Philippines we are helping to build a foundation of understanding.”

Senator Ramon Magsaysay says: “We badly need this talk show in a world where conflict is increasing. Be it in Lebanon and Israel or Iraq and the United States, the world needs an international medium where young people can unite. PeaceTech does that. It’s an honor that UNICEF, Canada and Australia want to start this in our country!”

PeaceTech 1: "Moving from Conflict to Understanding"

The Philippines will be the first country to host “Peace Tech,” the world’s first videoconferencing talk show on peace building for youth that will be simultaneously launched today at 7:30 am -12:00 noon at the Nismed Auditorium, Nismed, Quirino Ave., UP-Dilliman, Quezon City and at the ULS Convention Hall, University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, North Cotabato.

Robin Pettyfer, Canadian manager for Peace Tech says, “Peace Tech is just as it sounds. It’s the peace in technology! We have the technology to unite people in a global talk show. So it’s time we start!”

Over the next several months, a series of “Peace Tech” will unite hundreds of youth from Mindanao, Luzon and the Visayas in live dialogs on giant screens that will serve as a modal for an international talk show that will connect youth from different countries on a regular basis.
UNICEF and the Australian Government, sponsors of the project said, they are using the talk show as an experiment with the goal of bringing different youth groups together, often divided by conflict. They added, “The series is badly needed in a world where conflict is on the rise. Whether it be between Israel and Lebanon, Iraq and the United States, the world needs an international medium that makes it easy for young people to come together to discuss their differences and misperceptions. “Peace Tech” does just that. It is an honor that the United Nations (UN) chose to start this here in the Philippines.”

According to the organizers, “Peace Tech” is particularly relevant to the Philippines where geography restricts inter-group dialogs. It gives young people in remote areas an opportunity to instantly reach out to fellow Filipinos and it provides security, by allowing participants to meet with other youth in insecure areas.

Participants to the “Peace Tech” series are inclusive of children and youth from all sectors: former MILF; AFP soldiers; Muslim, Indigenous Peoples, Christians; out-of-school youth; university students; and children from conflict zones and they come from all over the Philippines including: Zamboanga del Sur in the Zamboanga Peninsula; Maguindanao in the ARMM; North Cotabato in Socsargen; Lanao del Norte; Davao; Negros Occidental in the Western Visayas; Camarines sur in Bicol; Quezon and Cavite-Laguna in the Calabarzon; Nueva Ecija in central Luzon; Benguet and Mountain province in the Cordillera Administrative Region; and Isabela in the Cagayan Valley.

The 7-part videoconferencing series is led by the Assissi Development Foundation with a number of partners that include: Youth Aid, OPAPP, the AFP, the Young Moro Professionals and numerous groups, schools and colleges. UNICEF and the Australian Government are the primary funders of the project with the PLDT providing the satellite link technology for the videoconferencing.