Canadian High Commissioner Gerard Latulippe says the solution to violence in society is teaching citizens the value of peaceful communication.He said this on Monday at the launch of a four-day non-violent communication workshop hosted by the Women's Institute for Alternative Development (WINAD) and funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).
The launch was held at the All Saints Memorial Hall, Marli Street, Port-of-Spain.In his address, Latulippe said the future generation was being affected by the widespread violence which continued to take the lives of young men and women.
"It seems the prevailing view is that the only way to address these issues is with more violent actions...To this I say a resounding 'No,'" he said.Rather, he said, solving the issues of violent crime must involve fostering a sense of reverence for life and a desire to contribute meaningfully to society.
He said he was pleased the workshop would allow participants to become true advocates of non-violent conflict resolution in the hope of bettering themselves and T&T as a whole.Some of the lessons of the workshop will include establishing proper listening skills, improving existing relationships, settling old conflicts and avoiding new ones.
The facilitators of the programme are Valerie Lanctot-Bedard and Lucie Larose, who are visiting from Canada. The two said they hoped to contribute positively to the personal and professional relationships of those present. Lanctot-Bedard urged participants to hold on to the lessons they learned after the workshop.Participants included members of non-governmental organisations and government ministries.