|TOP|A long-running Muslim-led insurgency on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines has inflamed tensions between Christian and Muslim communities, urging various organisations to attempt to resolve the religious issues between the two.

With the purpose of moving forward to peace-building in Mindanao, the city opened a project called the “Ugnay Kabataan" (Youth Link), where they gathered nearly 400 high school and college student attendants from Metro Manila and Cotabato City for video-conferencing, January 23 to 24.

According to Alfred Antonio, coordinator of the DLSU Centre for Social Concern and Action Religious Studies, the event is an attempt to have youth in Manila and Mindanao talk on various issues dividing their communities.

|AD|In the beginning of the conference, signs of prejudices among the students were revealed from both sides. Manila students had the impression that Mindanao was always on the verge of war while the Mindanao delegates always thought Manileños to be indifferent to their plight.

But later, both sides agreed to continue to strive to pursue projects that may resolve common problems after the conference.

“It was agreed upon that the students should help improve the identity problem of both sides. They talked more on peace building,” Antonio said.

The project was conducted by De La Salle University (DLSU), Synectix Inc, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, the Assisi Development Foundation and the office of Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr.