A Fellow of the King Abdullah Bin AbdulAziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), Mallam Abubakar Akande, has urged Nigerian Youths on interreligious and intercultural dialogue for religious harmony.
He made the call in Abuja at a one-day capacity building training for Interfaith Youth Network Members on Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue.
The event organised by Interfaith Dialogue for Peace (IDP), KAICIID Dialogue Centre, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Search for Common Ground, and UFUK Dialogue Foundation, was aimed at equiping members of the Interfaith Youth Network to acquire the necessary skills to engage in dialogue and promote peaceful living among Nigerians.
The training, held at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Abuja, had participants drawn from across the country representing Christianity and Islam.
Akande said: “It is important to equip youths with the necessary skills to engage in meaningful dialogue and promote understanding and tolerance among different religious and cultural groups in Nigeria.
“Also, they will become peace ambassadors in their respective communities and work towards building bridges of understanding and harmony among and within religious and cultural groups.”
On his part, the Director General, IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, called on the Nigerians to embrace peaceful coexistence and see each other as one irrespective of their religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
Ochogwu who was represented by Mr Nnamdi Chiotu, noted that the training was also aimed at building the capacity of the participants as agents and ambassadors of peace.
He added: “Nigeria is a country with a large number of youths. In fact, more than 67 percent of our population are under 30 which shows that it’s a very active population. These youths are also unfortunately extensively involved in conflict across the country.
“It is therefore strategic to engage these youths. And IPCR on its part will continue to support the initiative in this direction.”
The Executive Secretary, NIREC, Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua, said the training would not only serve as mental re-engineering for the youths but also for them to know that there should be no room for religious fanaticism.
He said, “We can live together whether you are Muslim or Christian. That Christians and Muslims the same God and see Abraham as a common factor. And when they know this they will know that fighting each other is like shedding innocent blood knowing that we are of the same blood.”