The Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI), an interfaith coalition has launched a new project aimed at promoting reconciliation, non-violent conflict resolution, and community healing in post-conflict areas in Northern Uganda.

The project was officially unveiled on Thursday, July 10, 2025, during a launch ceremony held at Bomah Hotel in Gulu City.

It targets communities affected by decades of conflict, particularly those still grappling with the aftermath of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency.

Speaking at the launch, the Archbishop of Gulu and Chairperson of ARLPI, Most Rev. John Baptist Odama, emphasized the central role of faith-based leadership in addressing past wounds and fostering lasting peace.

“Our communities have endured immense suffering, but through dialogue, forgiveness, and reconciliation, we can build a future founded on peace and mutual respect,” Archbishop Odama said.

The new project focuses on several key pillars, including mediation of local disputes, peace education and training for community leaders, the formation of grassroots peace committees, and the revival of traditional reconciliation methods such as Mato Oput, a customary Acholi practice of conflict resolution.

Archbishop Odama noted that blending traditional cultural values with modern peacebuilding techniques will help generate long-term solutions that are both practical and culturally grounded.

The initiative is being supported by international faith-based and peacebuilding organizations, which have long partnered with ARLPI in advancing reconciliation and recovery in the region.

ARLPI’s efforts have previously attracted global recognition, including the Niwano Peace Prize and the Paul Carus Award, honoring its exemplary work in interreligious cooperation and grassroots peace mobilization.

As Northern Uganda continues to rebuild from its violent past, the launch of this new peace initiative serves as a beacon of hope, underscoring the power of unity, dialogue, and community-based solutions in overcoming conflict and nurturing enduring peace.

Founded in 1997, ARLPI brings together senior religious leaders from the Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal, and Islamic faiths in the Acholi sub-region, united in their commitment to fostering peace and social cohesion.