Bamako, Mali
This 3-day national forum initiated a process of reflection on the capacity of traditional authorities, religious leaders and associations of women to contribute to peacebuilding in Mali.
The forum brought together around 110 participants, including government representatives and academics. The 3 days of presentations addressed the following topics:
- The causes and manifestations of conflict in Mali;
- Inter- and intra-community relations in Mali;
- Security and the proliferation of weapons in Mali;
- The potential and opportunities for women, traditional authorities and religious leaders to contribute to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and to peacebuilding;
- The statutory and non-statutory functions of traditional customary authorities, chiefs of villages, fractions and neighbourhoods, and the constraints they face in carrying out their duties;
- Traditional mechanisms for prevention and non-violent conflict management;
- The foundations of Islam and its implications for the consolidation of peace and security in Mali;
- A strategy for peace: components and potentials for civil society contributions.