It is with deep regret that the Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute (MPI) officially announces that the MPI 2020 Annual Peacebuilding Training has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After careful consideration of the status of the pandemic here in the Philippines as well as throughout the world, and the corresponding restrictions that have been put into place to limit the spread of the virus, MPI decided that it cannot conduct the training in 2020.

Despite the cancelation of the 21^st Annual Peacebuilding Training, MPI is now exploring other options such as online peacebuilding courses, webinars, discussion boards, and other ways to fully maximize the power of the Internet as a learning tool, connector, and medium of support as a response to this new situation and a continuation of its peacebuilding work.

Watch for additional emails, and be sure to check out MPI’s website and follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest announcements. MPI will continue to stay in communication with all of you as these new initiatives are developed and become available to its network.

We will continue to commemorate our 20^th Anniversary online as well. We invite you to celebrate with us by sending us messages of support and joining us for upcoming online activities.

We hope that you, your families and colleagues are safe and healthy, and we look forward to the time that we will meet again.

All of us have been affected by the unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 and this rapidly changing, unpredictable situation. We at MPI have been closely monitoring the situation both here and abroad and following the recommendations of how we, our families and communities can remain safe and healthy.

It is important to us that you know what steps we have taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus and to continue our work. For the time being, we are encouraging our staff to work at home as much as possible and have limited in-office presence. Periodically, we will schedule meetings to assess the situation and make adjustments to our work plans. Rest assured that we will continue to support our alumni and network as best we can during this time.

Thank you for your continuing support and communications of concern and solidarity for all of us here and throughout the world. Please keep safe and healthy!

MPI is a member of IMPACT (Imaging Together: A Platform for Arts, Culture and Conflict Transformation that describes itself as "… a collective values-driven collaboration of culturally and geographically diverse leaders in the arts, culture, conflict transformation, peacebuilding, higher education, philanthropy, and non-government sectors who understand the critical role that the arts and other aspects of culture play in transforming conflict." In September 2018, MPI was invited to a gathering of almost 30 people from various backgrounds and countries to discuss the creation of this platform and how it would be structured. Out of this meeting emerged a multi-faceted platform that included hubs in different parts of the world. MPI was invited to be the hub for Southeast Asia and takes opportunities to bring together peacebuilders, artists, cultural workers, and educators in its desire to be a catalyst for peace and social transformation.

To learn more. visit IMPACT's website.

Gebert Manda Andang, one of the former Program Coordinators for MPI’s Resource-Based Conflict and Peacebuilding Training Program, tragically died in a work-related accident on Tuesday evening, February 25, 2020.

Gebert, affectionately known as “Terso,” was part of the Resource-Based Conflict and Peacebuilding Training Program team from August of 2014 until June of 2017. He was responsible for assisting with the trainings in whatever ways needed, including being a documenter and helping to prepare the venues, programs and activities. Terso also worked directly with the communities, including following up on the validation of their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles and Indigenous Political Structure. He was key in the production of the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent guidebook published by MPI to assist the ancestral domains in Northwestern Mindanao and wherever else it could be used.