This event will feature discussion based on practical examples of peace and reconciliation, healing of memories, and transitional justice. It is promoted by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, the World Council of Churches and the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect.

In recent years we have seen a significant escalation in tensions among groups of different religions or beliefs and ethnic backgrounds in many regions, which have often resulted in incidents of politically and sectarian motivated violence accompanied by hate speech to fuel hatred that in some cases constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

In this context, many people are victims of crime atrocities and the response mechanisms to countering violence and promote peace often do not give proper attention to aspects of reconciliation, healing of memories, promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.

There is an immediate need to look for intentional actions to ensure accountability, promote justice, healing and reconciliation by exploring and acknowledging the emotional and spiritual wounds carried by nations, communities and individuals. Healing of Memories seeks to decisively break the destructive cycle of suffering, anger and violence that can disfigure societies.

People from different ethnic groups, races and religions should be helped to reach a better understanding of themselves and each other and confront sources of alienation, misunderstanding and personal suffering.

Prevent the recurrence of crises and future violations of human rights, and to ensure social cohesion, nation-building, ownership and inclusiveness at the national and local levels and to promote reconciliation is, therefore, paramount. This also includes religious leaders, who have responsibility to take actions to counter hate speech and incitement to violence.

The event will promote a lively discussion based on concrete cases of peace and reconciliation initiatives, healing of memories, and transitional justice.

Panel of speakers:

H.E. Ambassador Jeremiah Nyamane Kingsley Mamabolo, Permanente Representative of the Republic of South Africa to the UN
Mr Adama Dieng, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and Responsibility to Protect
Mr Pablo de Greiff, Special UN Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence
Fr Michael Lapsley SSM, Director of the Institute for Healing of Memories, South Africa. Father Lapsley has been awarded the Public Peace Prize 2016, in the top category “Global Peace and Reconciliation – Internationally-Reputed Peacemaker”
Dr Purnaka L. de Silva, PhD., Founding Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Democracy (ISSD) Malta, former combatant in Sri Lanka.
Moderation: Azza Karam (IATF-FBO), World of Council of Churches