logo
Make a donation
Media > News > What do we mean by reconciliation

Media

Latest posts

Latest podcasts

What do we mean by reconciliation

Published on 13.11.2018 at 03:16

Reconciliation is a process through which a society moves from a divided past to a shared future. A successful reconciliation is both a Goal: something to achieve and a Process: means to achieve that goal. A great deal of controversy arises from confusing these two ideas. The goal on the one hand, it is a future aspiration; perhaps something important to aim towards that should include finding ways to live alongside former enemies; not necessarily to forget the past in any way, but to peacefully coexist with them and develop a degree of co-existence and cooperation necessary to share the same social system.

 

The process on the other hand, it is very much a present tense, a means of dealing with how things are, which includes the search for the truth, justice, forgiveness, healing and reparation. Thus, seeking for accuracy about the past is a vital step in the reconciliation process; allowing victims to tell their stories, but truth itself is not enough for the victims to heal wounds of the past. Truth-seeking is just only one ingredient in the process of reconciliation which must be accompanied with and supported by unbiased justice. Thus, justice is a requirement for healing wounds of past by holding offenders accountable and reestablish victims' dignity, but justice alone cannot bring reconciliation. Truth and justice are not separate to reconciliation: they are key ingredients of it.

 

But how is it possible for someone to move forward when one does not know where she or he comes from?  Peaceful co-existence, empathy, democracy and power sharing demand that justice is done or that in one way or the other, the crimes of the past are acknowledged and punished. Thus, reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past but a matter of confronting it with unity, truth and justice. A genuine reconciliation consolidates peace, advocates for human rights and strengthens democratic institutions which pave the way for truth-telling, justice, and healing. Read our guide on reconciliation.

Follow us

Latest news

Youth health literacy evaluation

  • Feb 12th, 2024
  • |
  • News

  • Welcome to hormonize the podcast

  • Jan 4th, 2024
  • |
  • News

  • Latest events

    The catalysts for change programme

  • Apr 6th, 2024
  • |
  • Events

  • Last transnational meeting on youth health literacy

  • Feb 5th, 2024
  • |
  • Events

  • Open Educational Resources

    Cultural transfusion art

    Cultural transfusion art Dec 8th, 2022Modules

    Youth sexual health

    Youth sexual health Oct 30th, 2023Publications

    Entrepreneurial knowledge assessment

    Entrepreneurial knowledge assessment Aug 21st, 2022Assessment tools

    Vocational education report

    Vocational education report Apr 26th, 2023Dissemination materials

    Applying a rights-based approach to youth work

    Applying a rights-based approach to youth work Jul 10th, 2023Training courses

    What is internalised racism

    What is internalised racism Mar 16th, 2022Videos

    Learning App

    Digital-based training tool May 24th, 2020Training App

    Learning App

    Youth Health Literacy Aug 04th, 2022Learning platform

    So many  reasons   to commit.

  • So many   ways   to contribute.

  • 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

    IN YOUTH’S EDUCATION

    90 PROJECTS EXECUTED

    80 PARTNERS ENGAGED

    1500 YOUTHS REACHED

    Address


    Org. nr.:  995-456-575  | Oslo - Norway
    * Tel: 0047- 969-51-953 * E-mail: info@terrampacis.org

    Updates


    ©2024 TERRAM PACIS.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.