Christians and Muslims’ Quest for Peace
Christians and Muslims’ Quest for Peace
PROCMURA brought together Christian and Muslim religious leaders from across West Africa to examine the causes of violent conflict, learn from regional peace processes and develop practical ways for faith leaders to prevent conflict and strengthen peace.
Peace requires more than affirmation: Christian and Muslim leaders must translate the peaceful teachings of their faiths into relationships and practical action.
Areas Covered in the Report
- Conflict trends and the role of religious leaders in preventing violence
- Root causes of conflict in the West African sub-region
- Christian-Muslim collaboration for peace
- Engagement with governments, civil society and regional institutions
- Country experiences from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire
- The Accra Communiqué, recommendations and conference action plan
Selected Conference Highlights
Regional Participation
The conference brought together 64 Christian and Muslim religious leaders from 11 West African countries, alongside PROCMURA staff from Kenya.
Peacebuilding Experience
Religious leaders shared lessons from peace processes in Sierra Leone and Liberia and considered conflict dynamics in northern Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.
Action for Prevention
Participants considered how faith leaders could identify risks earlier, engage public institutions and become more proactive in mitigating and preventing violent conflict.
From Dialogue to Joint Action
- Religious leaders were encouraged to model peaceful Christian-Muslim relationships before presenting themselves as agents of peace.
- Participants examined the political, social, economic and religious dynamics that can allow conflicts to become prolonged.
- Case studies demonstrated that interreligious cooperation can contribute meaningfully to mediation, reconciliation and recovery.
- The conference developed recommendations and an action plan for sustained peacebuilding engagement in the region.
Publication Details
- Title: Christians and Muslims’ Quest for Peace
- Full title: Report on Proceedings of the PROCMURA Conference on Religion, Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding in West Africa
- Location: Accra, Ghana
- Date: July 2009
- Recorded by: Robert Mwanyumba and St-John York
- Edited by: Johnson A. Mbillah
- Publisher: Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa
- Length: 95 pages
- Category: Publications
Download the Conference Report
Read the complete proceedings, presentations, country case studies, Accra Communiqué, recommendations, action plan and supporting annexes.