Contextual Leadership for Nation Building

Abstract

‘Extremism’ has come to stay in all forms and in all disciplines, of which religious extremism has become the most significant challenge in the modern world. Religion should bring people together. But have failed. There are problems due to religion-based oppression, domination and violence everywhere. Sri Lanka is struggling in reconciliation and healing. The option for the military solution has created division, anger, bitterness, mistrust, and animosity among people of different communities. OMNIA is a Latin word meaning “all” or “all-encompassing. To equip people of faith to become powerful leaders working to build a peaceful world for all. OMNIA’s starting point is the context. It seeks to ‘listen to’, ‘learn from’ and ‘live in’ deep solidarity with those in the margins (L3M). ‘Inter-faith Peacemaker Team’ is a small group of trained persons guided by a trained. A leader who resolves issues in the community gradually builds confidence among others. OMNIA’s theory of change is, “If there are a large number of IPTs in an area, and people of different religions demonstrate that they can come together and collaboratively and effectively address the fundamental questions that arise from the ground, then there will come a tipping point when the culture will shift from one that affirms and tolerates extremism and religion-based oppression, domination and violence, to one that affirms and encourages pluralistic religion, whose primary attribute is to love their neighbors.