07/08/2026
๐ ๐ฆ๐จ-๐๐๐ง ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
ILIGAN CITY โ The Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), through the Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM), successfully hosted the 2026 SAUP/DAAD Summer School: Theory & Practice of Peacebuilding from July 27 to 31, 2026, bringing together scholars, peace practitioners, development partners, government representatives, and student leaders from the Philippines, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, and Germany.
The Summer School was organized in partnership with the GIZ Civil Peace Service Southeast
Asian University Partnership for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation (GIZ CPS SAUP),
the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the Center for Conflict Studies of Philipps University Marburg, Germany, together with institutions that comprise the Southeast Asian University Partnership for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation (SAUP). Centered on the theme "Theory & Practice of Peacebuilding", the program explored the dynamic relationship between academic inquiry and peacebuilding practice, creating opportunities for participants to engage in dialogue, collaborative learning, and intercultural exchange. Throughout the week, participants took part in lectures, workshops, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and field immersion activities designed to deepen their understanding of conflict transformation, reconciliation, transitional justice, and community-led peacebuilding.
One of the highlights of the Summer School was the community immersion in the Municipality of
Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte. Through the activity entitled "Sowing Stories, Harvesting Peace:
Lived Histories of Kauswagan, "participants gained firsthand insights into the municipality's remarkable journey from conflict to sustainable development. The immersion included the panel discussion and open forum, "Voices for Peace through Storytelling, "which featured peace advocates, local leaders, and community members who shared their experiences and reflections on the transformative role of storytelling in peacebuilding. Participants also visited the municipality's renowned Arms to Farms initiative, where former combatants shared their experiences of reintegration, community building, and livelihood development.
Another notable component of the Summer School was a breakout session on Indigenous Frameworks of Transitional Justice (Listening to Indigenous Voices in Peacebuilding). The session brought together scholars, practitioners, and advocates to discuss Indigenous perspectives on justice, reconciliation, and peacebuilding while emphasizing the importance of community-based and culturally grounded approaches. The Summer School also welcomed representatives from the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) and Centro Nacional Chega! (CNC) of Timor-Leste, whose participation enriched discussions on transitional justice, collective memory, and post-conflict recovery.
The Summer School also featured the launch of Deeper Ground, Darker Shadows by peacebuilding practitioner and author Eddie Quitoriano. Drawing from decades of experience working alongside conflict-affected communities, the book offered participants an opportunity to reflect on memory, identity, struggle, and transformation through the lens of both personal and collective experience. During the launch, Quitoriano reflected on his own journey from life as a former combatant to becoming a writer and advocate for peace and social justice. His account underscored the complex realities of conflict and the profound ways in which individuals and communities can change over time. Rather than presenting peacebuilding as an abstract concept, his reflections illustrated how personal transformation, critical reflection, and community engagement can become powerful forces for reconciliation and social change. The discussion also highlighted the importance of preserving personal narratives as part of broader processes of memorialization and transitional justice. Through the sharing of lived experiences, participants were encouraged to recognize memory not merely as a record of the past but as an essential foundation for accountability, healing, and the pursuit of sustainable peace.
Beyond providing opportunities for academic exchange, the Summer School reinforced the
significance of peace education as a transformative and interdisciplinary field of study. Throughout the week, participants reflected on how themes such as transitional justice, Indigenous knowledge systems, community resilience, collective memory, storytelling, youth participation, and post-conflict recovery can be meaningfully incorporated into curricula and
learning environments.
The discussions also underscored the importance of advancing the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) and
SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Through its emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation, justice,
and inclusive institutions, the Summer School reinforced the principles embodied in SDG 16. At
the same time, the collaboration among universities, civil society organizations, local
government units, Indigenous communities, development agencies, and international partners
illustrated the importance of SDG 17 in creating lasting and sustainable solutions to complex
social challenges.
By bringing together scholars, practitioners, communities, and development partners, the
Summer School strengthened regional and international networks while demonstrating that
peacebuilding extends beyond policy frameworks and institutional mechanisms. The program likewise highlighted the importance of partnerships between academic institutions and local communities, illustrating how knowledge production becomes more meaningful when it is grounded in lived experience and collective action. As MSU-IIT continues to strengthen its role in advancing peace education and conflict transformation, initiatives such as the Summer School reaffirm the university's commitment to ensuring that knowledge remains deeply connected to the communities it seeks to serve while preparing future generations to become
advocates for peace, justice, and sustainable development.
Photos contributed by GIZ-CPS SAUP partners
