Abidjan — "Peace (Shalom) is holistic and means harmony with oneself, with others, with one's surroundings, and with God," said Father Michel Savadogo, Executive Director of the Shalom Network for Conflict Transformation and Reconciliation (REST-COR) and member of the Society of African Missions, at a forum in Yopougon (Abidjan) on social cohesion and peace, organized jointly with the Diocesan Commission for Justice, Peace, and the Environment (CDJPE).

The meeting, held at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Yopougon, was attended by members of the Yopougon Diocesan Commission for Justice and Peace, parish leaders, youth and women's associations, and non-governmental organizations. ]

In his address to the participants, Father Savadogo, in his capacity as moderator of the forum, affirmed that "peace is oriented toward the full realization of the human person. The culture of peace is therefore a set of conditions, attitudes, and behaviors that are cultivated and promote it at both the personal and societal levels."

Based on the situations described by the participants, the moderator emphasized the crucial role they can play personally in their communities or associations in preventing violence and fostering a culture of peace.

At the end of the meeting, the executive director of the Shalom Network invited everyone to pray for peace in Ivory Coast and to commit themselves to being peacemakers in their daily lives.