DFA Surges in Solidarity to Celebrate Marawi City Resilience
L-R: Filipino artist Anna Karina Jardin, DFA-UNIO Assistant Secretary Almojuela, Marawi City Mayor Atty. Sultan Majul Usman Gandamra, Bangsamoro Women’s Commission Executive Assistant Hassana Malic, and UN OCHA Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Ramil Maquilan pose during the unveiling of the peace mural in Marawi on 5 December 2023.
MARAWI 13 December 2023 – The Department of Foreign Affairs brought International Humanitarian Law (IHL) home as it celebrated stories of humanity, peace, and resilience in the first-ever IHL Outreach in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, Mindanao on 5 December 2023, in time for the Mindanao Peace Week.
Using Marawi City’s experience and journey of reconstruction as a model, DFA Assistant Secretary for the Office of the United Nations and International Organizations (DFA-UNIO) Maria Teresa T. Almojuela reaffirmed the Philippines’ steadfast commitment to promoting and upholding core humanitarian principles in situations of armed conflict, especially for the most vulnerable.
“Through the trials and tribulations of the City of Marawi, our nation stood resolute in its dedication to preserving peace and humanity of every individual, even in the midst of adversity. This commitment is not merely a statement, but a lived reality woven into the fabric of our nation’s values,” Assistant Secretary Almojuela emphasized.
The celebration concluded with the unveiling of a peace mural at the Sarimanok Sports Complex located at Ground Zero of Marawi City. More than 200 children, local artists, Marawi citizens, local and national government officials, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) officials, and IHL Ad-hoc Committee members took turns painting the mural.
The artwork combined cultural iconography such as the Sarimanok, landmarks, and Maranao and batik patterns as a symbol of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of protecting civilians during conflict situations. Malaysia-based Filipino artist Anna Karina Jardin and Maranao artists from the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement collaborated in designing the mural.
This activity was undertaken in partnership with Marawi City Mayor Atty. Sultan Majul Usman Gandamra, who is recognized for inclusive governance, supporting youth and artists and artisans of the city, and elevating the city’s economic performance. He gave public assurances that the city was back to normal, within hours after the tragic incident at the Mindanao State University on 3 December 2023, where 4 people lost their lives from a bombing incident.
“Let us work hand in hand to ensure the tragic event that happened in MSU is a catalyst for change, where we strive for a society free from violence, where every individual’s dignity is valued and protected,” said Mayor Gandamra.
At the unveiling ceremony, Mayor Gandamra, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Deputy Chief Minister for Mainland Ali Bangcola Solaiman, the representatives from Marawi Compensation Board and BARMM Bangsamoro Women's Commission, and an official from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity expressed their support to the advancement of the city and to preserve the mural as a symbol of the strength of the community and the resilience of the Marawi people.
As part of the two-day outreach event of the IHL Ad-hoc Committee, the DFA distributed school supplies and the book “Karapat-Dapat,” a Filipino children’s book on the rights of the child under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to nearly 200 students from 4 primary schools in the city.
Assistant Secretary Almojuela talked about the rights of civilians, including children, to be free and protected from harm in times of conflict under IHL, and much work is being done to ensure that all actors respect human rights and human dignity in times of peace and in situations of conflict.
The children also listened to peace-building advocate and Muslim religious leader Anisa Taha-Arab as she discussed how children’s rights are upheld in the Islamic tradition, in line with IHL principles.
Following the lecture, the students communicated their learnings by drawing posters that creatively expressed their understanding of their rights, which were showcased during the unveiling ceremony of the mural the following day.
In her closing remarks, City Schools Division Superintendent Ana Zenaida Unte-Alonto reaffirmed the DFA’s message which recognizes the value of incorporating special activities to “motivate more our Bangsamoro-Marawi learners” to become agents of positive change. She concluded by expressing hope for more government agencies and international partners to support the students of Marawi consistently.
The IHL Outreach was an opportunity for the DFA and the IHL Ad-hoc Committee to bring global and national-level discussions to the grassroots level, while capturing lessons and observations that will further inform the programming of relevant government agencies to ensure programs respond to and showcase developments on the ground.
During the two-day outreach program, the DFA engaged with local government officials, including Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong, Jr. and Mayor Gandamra, to discuss efforts to engage international development partners and reconfigure cooperation and assistance to Marawi from a conflict-resolution lens to a more development-oriented focus, towards promoting sustainable progress marked by livelihood opportunities, resilient development, and lasting peace.
The IHL Outreach Program stems from the Government’s efforts to engage the public on rules that protect the most vulnerable in times of conflict, especially children.
Pursuant to Executive Order No. 143, the IHL Ad-hoc Committee, co-chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of National Defense, is composed of government agencies, non-government organizations, and civil society organizations tasked with formulating and implementing IHL-related programs.
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Marawi City Mayor Gandamra gives a token of appreciation to Assistant Secretary Almojuela for the IHL Ad-hoc Committee’s commitment to upholding IHL principles at the Sarimanok Sports Complex at Marawi City.
Elementary school students from Amai Pakpak Central Elementary School, Marawi Central Elementary Pilot School, Banggolo Elementary School, and Saduc Elementary School pose after a lecture reminding them of the importance of upholding and protecting the rights of every child.
DFA and the IHL Ad-hoc Committee members discuss with Marawi City Mayor Gandamra the transformation of Marawi City towards development.