The ECLF hosted a training workshop in Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution and Transformation (CPMRT) attended by some 40 Church Leaders from various Ministers Fraternal across the country of Zimbabwe, the representative from the Office of the President and Cabinet as well as 6 delegates from the ECSS Upper Nile Internal Province and a representative of the ELCA Global Mission. The training took place at the Njube Evangelical Lutheran Church Youth Centre in Bulawayo in Zimbabwe from the 14th to the 16th of August 2017.
The training programme included sessions in demystifying the conflict, tools for conflict analysis, effective listening and communication, managing perceptions, power dynamics, healing, reconciliation and strategic peace building. On the fourth day, 17 August, the team had an excursion as part of the training to meet with two local peace committees based in rural areas near Bulawayo. The group learnt how ECLF training in CPMRT enabled the communities to work together in social cohesion projects. Communities emphasized that peace brings development.
As a result of this visit, ECLF, the delegation from South Sudan and ELCA resolved to further strengthen the partnership, and to share learning and enhance capacity for conflict resolution and peace building in their respective countries.