Dialogue is at the center of peacebuilding in Africa. Working to understand and celebrate our differences instead of treating them as rigid barriers to peace and social cohesion can be a daunting undertaking in a region known for its underlying religious and ethnic strife and associated violence. Yet, this is exactly what Reverend John Joseph Hyab, country director for the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Nigeria and chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), strives to do on a daily basis in Kaduna State and Northern Nigeria.
Rev. Hayab’s work is a living model of how sustained dialogue can ease tensions and promote an environment where peace and social cohesion are possible among people of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds.
