On October 10-12, peacemakers from the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers and partner organizations were led through a Healing of Memories Workshop in Stony Point, New York. The workshop was led by Father Michael Lapsley, the Founder of the Institute for Healing of Memories, based in Cape Town, South Africa. The workshop addressed sources of misunderstanding and personal suffering with the aid of trained facilitators, group sharing and artistic expression. Participants were led through a process of personal story telling which exposed the interconnectedness of their experiences and inspired deeper conversations on the root causes of violence and suffering.
Father Michael shared his own story of personal healing and forgiveness after he was targeted with a letter bomb in 1990. During the workshop he encouraged the peacemakers to recognize the importance of dealing with the pain of their own past in order to continue supporting the healing and reconciliation of others.
Annalisa Jackson
The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers
26.10.2017