The annual celebration of Mindanao Week of Peace (MWOP) reminds us of the island-region’s long and challenging road toward peace. As a former soldier, I have walked this road and saw how armed conflict had taken a heavy toll on residents and communities.

And today, as a peace worker, I walk the same road but with a renewed sense of hope. It is because as I see families and young people taking the lead in shaping a more peaceful, harmonious and inclusive Mindanao.

This year’s MWOP theme, “Multi-faith in Families and Youth: Hand-In-Hand for Peace, Harmony, and Justice in Our Homeland,” captures what I have learned over the years: peacebuilding should begin in our homes and must be reinforced by the energy of our youth.

During the event’s opening in Cotabato City last week, around 2,000 participants composed of students, teachers, parents, Indigenous Peoples, CSOs, faith leaders, government workers, and the security sector walked shoulder to shoulder.

What struck me the most was not just the large number of participants, but the presence of families and young people leading the march with immense passion. This scene was unimaginable years ago but has now finally become a reality.

To see individuals coming from all walks gather and dance to the sound of music, with parents holding their children’s hands, is testament that peace starts at home with the youth carrying the torch forward.

Around 700 CSO members proudly held banners, as they collectively declared that peace is a shared responsibility. But it was the convergence of Christian, Muslim, and Indigenous People families that truly showed what multi-faith unity is.

It is in moments like these when it becomes clear that long before government programs are implemented or peace agreements are signed, it is the families who must first choose peace as they teach their children the values of respect, empathy, and kindness.

At the MWOP’s formal launching at Notre Dame University (NDU) Gymnasium, NDU President Fr. Francis Zabala noted that the peace walk is a powerful symbol of harmony among Christian, Muslim, and Indigenous families.

Tri-people representatives echoed the same message that families must first teach peace as the youth carry these lessons into the future. When families teach understanding and the youth choose dialogue, genuine peace becomes possible.

Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity’s (OPAPRU) Presidential Assistant Dave Diciano, emphasized that peace must start in the homes and parents must teach their children to pray, forgive and respect differences.

It was a reminder to the youth that they are not just beneficiaries of peace but are in fact, thje builders of it. Their courage, creativity, and positive mindset are vital in shaping a more just and inclusive future.

Cotabato State University (CSU) President Dr. Sema Dilna called on students to embrace their role as “tomorrow’s peace champions,” with the signing of the Peace Commitment Banner showing their willingness to take on this responsibility.

OPAPRU Director, Atty. Ishmael Bahjin underscored the importance of peace education as a life skill. As families teach values at home, schools must strengthen these values through lessons that promote respect, empathy, and cultural understanding.

He also honored CSOs, POs, interfaith groups, and youth organizations who have been instrumental in promoting the culture of peace, while helping to create the conditions where long-lasting peace can firmly take root.

In Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua’s message, he called on the youth to take full advantage of the opportunities they enjoy today, which previous generations never had due to the conflict.

He urged them to choose learning over violence, cooperation over division, and justice over resentment. His message reflected something I have long believed when we empower our youth, we build a better and brighter future.

But the heart of the MWOP opening ceremony was the signing of the CSU Peace Manifesto and the Peace Wall where young people expressed their commitments to peace. As they wrote on the Peace Wall, we saw how hopeful, determined, and united they are in fostering peace.

As I reflected on this year’s celebration, I remember when I was asked by a resident: “Sir, kailan po matatapos ang gulo?” At that time, I could not give him a clear answer. But today, I can tell him that conflict ends when families teach peace and the youth choose to live by it.

Peace becomes a lived reality when it is taught at home, nurtured in schools, and supported by all sectors. This is the essence of this year’s Mindanao Week of Peace’s theme — that families must plant the seeds of peace and our youth must nurture it.

Patuloy po tayong magkaisa sa ngalan ng kapayapaan. Happy Mindanao Week of Peace 2025 to all our brothers and sisters in Mindanao.