Preparing grounds for political, ethnic religious and different identity based groups to find the common grounds.

KIIR organized different seminars and workshops. International Center for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD), a Washington DC based NGO, initiated a Faith-based Reconciliation project in 2003 in Kashmir. KIIR was ICRD’s partner organization from Azad Kashmir. The objective of the project was to draw upon various faith-based traditions to promote consensus with regards to peace building at the grass root level via:

• Developing a cadre of next-generation Kashmiris leaders who are committed to transforming the political, social and spiritual dynamics of the region through faith-based reconciliation.
• Building momentum for peace on an incremental basis, first by working with the individual parties to the conflict and, once a cooperative attitude has been established, by working with them collectively.
• Imparting moral vision and promoting forgiveness

 The first workshop of the Faith-based Reconciliation project for Azad-Kashmiris was held in September 2003 at Bhurbhan and was attended by 34 participants between the ages of 22-40 and included political leaders, activists, businessmen, journalists, youth, educationists, social workers and other professionals.

The second workshop was held in March 2004 in Islamabad and was attended by 72 participants that comprised of representatives from KIIR, ICRD and Joan B Krock Institute of International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame USA.

Both workshops were conducted by Reverend Brian Cox and assisted by his colleagues from ICRD and the Krock Institute. These workshops employed a mix of participatory methodologies for imparting training, including, presentations on key issues by the facilitators, group discussions and analysis, group exercises, and case studies. As a result, the participants were able to acquire a keen understanding of the concept of pluralism, inclusion, peacemaking, justice, forgiveness, healing deep wounds, sovereignty and atonement.

The varied nature of training methods ensured active participation and consequently, successful delivery of the workshop.

Notable among the features of both workshops were the public sessions that were convened at the conclusion of the seminars. The public session was attended by several members of the diplomatic community who showed a keen interest in the faith-based approach to conflict resolution.

In 1998, a meeting between the chairman and Executive Director, KIIR, and Ambassador John McDonald, Chairman, Institute of Multi-Track Diplomacy (IMTD) in Lahore laid the groundwork for the Negotiation Skills Training Project. The project was designed to provide to intensive training in negotiation skills, conflict resolution and peace building to members of parliament, servicemen, politician, and other professionals from Azad Kashmir.

Four workshops were held under the Negotiations Skills Training Project umbrella during 2000-2003 by IMTD, in close partnership with KIIR.

Intra Kashmir Dialogue 

Venue: Katmandu, Nepal
Dated: November 11 to 15, 2005

Organizers:
International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, Washington (ICR&D) in collaboration with Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR)

Project Incharge
Mr. Brian Cox,
Senior Vice President, ICR & D

Objectives
To bring the Kashmiries  of all regions and religion from both sides of line of control for building bridges with the concept of faith-based reconciliation.

Delegates

• Shah Ghulam Qadir,
  
• Sardar Amjad Yousaf,
  
• Dr K.L. Chaudhry,
  
• A.R. Hanjura Advocate,
  
• Dr Dauood Iqbal Baba,
  
• Rakesh Kar,
  
• Muhammad Ramzan Khan,
  
• Iftikhar Ahmed Bazmi,
  
• Tsering Tsomo,
  
• Sardar Usman Ali Khan,
  
• Sardar Azhar Nazar,
  
• Chaudhry Ilyas Advocate,
  
• Sardar Tahir Aziz,
  
• Uzera Shah,
  
• Hamid Nasim Vir Ji Saraf
  
• Maria Iqbal Tarana

Summary

The participants of the workshop were part of faith-based reconciliation, seminars organized in all parts of Jammu and Kashmir. All the participants had prior knowledge of the core values of the concept. The workshop concluded with a sense of hope and joy as people of both sides of LoC gathered at a neutral venue. 

Suggestions

• Pluralistic vision of the community and the restoration of human values
  
• Repatriation of Kashmiri Pundits and all displaced persons to their homeland
  
• Demolishing walls of hostility and hatred
  
• Encouraging all available means possible to allow free flow of the Kashmiris
  
• Supporting international community for peace process between India and Pakistan
  
• Setting up the mechanism to facilitate the economic restitution of land and business to Kashmiri Pundits and all other displaced persons
  
• India and Pakistan shall take measures for the inclusion of Kashmir's across LoC in the dialogue process for achieving sustainable peace

Recommendations
Respect of all religions shall be part of educational curriculum for essential moral values. Unified Kashmir voice is essential so that the legitimate aspirations of the people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir might be heard. Taking measures for sharing power and privileges among different identity based groups for essential to achieve social justice.