FOUR WOMEN GRADUATED IN PEACE BUILDING AND LEADERSHIP

Four Solomon Islands women have graduated from the Peacebuilding and Leadership Program of the US-based Memonite Eastern University.

Veronica Maebiru, Joycelyn Manakako, Rose Wate and Georgia Clarinda Molia undertook studies at the University over the past two years and graduated at an in-country ceremony yesterday.

Speaking to SIBC News, Koila Olsen, the Executive Director of the Pacific Centre for Peace Building in Fiji said the course the women to work in peace building and leadership areas.

Mrs. Olsen adds the women are now ready to contribute positively to peace building work in Solomon Islands.

“This will equip the women to be able to work in the area of peacebuilding and leadership but to work at a higher level, an extensive sphere of influence. Most of the women are practitioners, they have come from different areas of work in the Solomon Islands and having gone through the courses, will enable them with this knowledge to be able to put it into practice and contribute positively to peacebuilding.”

Yesterday’s Graduation Ceremony was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary for National Peace, Unity and Reconciliation, Lennis Rukale, other Government officials and the graduands families and friends.

Only six Solomon Islands women have studied the Peace Building and Leadership Program at the US-based Memonite Eastern University since it began in 2012.

Meanwhile, one of the graduands, Joycelyn Manakako says the Peacebuilding and Leadership Program is vital for Solomon Islands.

She said peacebuilding is about different types of conflicts.

“Peacebuilding is not all about just war, but it’s all about different types of conflicts so it can be personal, family or in the community in which we can experience different types of conflict in our lives

Joycelyn adds the training they took part in will help them to work with the Government, and other organizations to help stabilize peace in the country.

“I believe that this course is very important because it will really help us to work with our government as well as other NGOs and CSOs who are working around peacebuilding to address peace and stability in Solomon Islands.”