National Library
of the Philippines promotes establishment of Peace Corners in
libraries
Press Release
May 4, 2022
MANILA – On April
25, 2022, the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), through the
Public Libraries Division, held its comprehensive free blended
training entitled “Significant Role of Libraries in the
Establishment of Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions” at the NLP
Auditorium. With the theme “Aklatan Pangkapayapaan", it was held in
partnership with the Philippine branch of Heavenly Culture, World
Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an international peace
organization associated with the UN ECOSOC and the UN DGC.
The training was attended
by over 500 participants onsite and online, including private and
public library staff, school librarians, educators, and peace
advocates. The training provided learning opportunities about
institutionalizing peace in the Philippines and the importance of
establishing peace corners in the libraries nationwide.
Commissioner Dr. Ronald L.
Adamat of CHED said, “Our libraries shall give prominent places
those books and publications about peace where readers could easily
access and get their hands. By doing this, our libraries can be of
big help to the work of promoting peace to the reading public.”
Regarding the role of
libraries in line with the UN SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong
Institutions, Justice Raoul Victorino said, “In Ukraine, the
libraries continue to remain open despite the continuing Russian
invasion. Ukraine’s libraries are offering bomb shelters and classes
are resumed inside the libraries. These heroic stories continue to
prove that libraries are our best home for the future.”
Mr. Cissette B. Ricardo of
Parañaque City Public Library, talked about “Library and Peace”
where he shared his experience of having a partnership with HWPL.
The first peace corner was established in Paranaque City Public
Library and its inauguration was held on February 15, 2019. He said
that through the peace corner, the students coming in and out were
able to learn and appreciate peace initiatives. He also encouraged
all libraries to sign a partnership with HWPL to receive
peace-related materials and also put up a peace corner to spread
awareness, especially among the students and learners.
Mr. John Rommel Garces,
Chief Branch Manager of HWPL Philippines, highlighted the importance
of establishing a peace corner in the library, as well as HWPL’s
peace achievements in the Philippines.
HWPL Philippines aims to
establish more peace corners in public and private libraries as well
as school libraries all throughout the country to make relevant
peace-related materials more accessible to the public especially to
the youth and students. After the event, 40 peace corners are
expected to be established.