Interfaith Mediation Centre, German Embassy bring women from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds together to promote unity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence in Kaduna

As the world marks the 2026 International Day of Peace, the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC), in collaboration with the German Embassy in Abuja, has brought together 100 indigenous women in Kasuwan Magani, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, to promote peace, religious tolerance and community unity through cultural cooking.

The programme, held under the theme “Cultivating Our Cultural Heritage and Investing in Peace in Kajuru and its Environs,” brought together women from different religious and cultural backgrounds to prepare and showcase traditional foods as a means of strengthening social cohesion.

Speaking at the event, the Director of the Interfaith Mediation Centre, Mr Samson Auta, said investing in women and interfaith leadership was essential to building peaceful and resilient communities.

He said the initiative would strengthen the capacity of women to contribute effectively to peacebuilding and promote unity through cultural heritage.

According to him, peace should not be viewed merely as the absence of conflict, but as an everyday commitment that requires dialogue, empathy, mutual respect and collective responsibility.

He said Kasuwan Magani and other communities in Kajuru understand the value of peace, adding that sustainable peace must grow from within communities and involve the active participation of residents.

Mr Auta said the programme was supported by the German Embassy under a project focused on “Strengthening Women Interfaith Leadership for Human Rights Protection, Transitional Justice, and Promoting Democratic Stability” across the three senatorial zones of Kaduna State.

He noted that women often play important roles in maintaining social cohesion, particularly during periods of tension, and can help bridge religious and ethnic differences within their communities.

“Let us invest in dialogue when grievances arise. Let us invest in early warning and early response by speaking out against misinformation and division.

“Let us invest in our youth and our future by choosing collaboration over confrontation,” he said.

He urged participants to regard peace as a continuous responsibility rather than a periodic event, stressing that peace must be practised every day.

Also speaking, Mr Jonathan Peter, a peace ambassador in the area, said women from the community were invited to prepare different cultural meals together as a way of demonstrating unity in diversity.

He said varieties of traditional foods were displayed during the programme, with women from different backgrounds working together in their preparation.

According to him, the initiative demonstrates how culture can be used as a practical tool for promoting peace, unity and mutual understanding.

“We are using culture as a means of promoting peace and unity. We have to continue joining hands together towards making Kaduna better,” he said.

One of the participants, Madam Mary Sani, said the programme reminded her of the peaceful coexistence that had traditionally existed between Muslims and Christians in the community.

She said participants came from different cultural backgrounds but were able to come together to prepare and share traditional foods.

“Today, we are cooking different cultural foods together as a means of promoting peace and unity. This shows that despite our differences, we can live and work together in harmony,” she said.