麻花星空视频-IIT and QUT collaborate on 鈥淒igital Peacebuilding"

by IPIL | Jul 03 2025

In a region where histories of conflict often overshadow efforts toward peace, is the digital space a new frontier for peacebuilding in Mindanao?

Guided by this question, twelve young women leaders from Lumad, Muslim, and Christian communities in Mindanao came together at Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (麻花星空视频-IIT) on June 14 and 15, 2025. Over two days, they participated in workshops designed to conceptualize “digital peacebuilding.” These sessions explored how digital media, particularly social media platforms, can be used to foster connection, challenge stereotypes, and build everyday peace across Mindanao’s diverse communities.

The workshop was co-organized by 麻花星空视频-IIT’s Social Lab, led by Mr. Ian Embradura, with support from the Gender and Development Office of 麻花星空视频-IIT, and in partnership with the Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia. It is part of the doctoral research of Ms. Lynrose Jane Genon, a faculty member at 麻花星空视频-IIT and a PhD candidate at QUT. Her study examines the role of young women leaders, particularly within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), in the use of digital platforms for peacebuilding and social transformation.

Grounded in decolonial and feminist research frameworks, the workshop placed the lived experiences and perspectives of young women at the center—voices that are often marginalized in formal peace processes. Building on earlier phases of Genon’s research, which included social media analysis and the use of the indigenous Filipino method, kwentuhan (talkstory), the workshop created a collaborative and creative environment for meaningful dialogue. Preliminary findings were presented, followed by an envisioning session focused on peace and the emerging concept of “digital peacebuilding” in the Mindanao context.

Participants engaged in collaborative activities using arts and crafts materials, producing zines and visual artworks that reflected their personal narratives and visions of peace. These creative outputs served as powerful tools for storytelling and solidarity, connecting individual experiences to broader social issues.

Throughout the sessions, participants emphasized that peacebuilding in the digital space must begin with education, empathy, and inclusive dialogue, both online and offline. They highlighted the potential of digital platforms, despite the persistent challenges of the digital divide, for localized storytelling, peace education, and cross-cultural understanding. At the same time, they voiced concerns about the spread of online misinformation and disinformation, calling for increased digital literacy and more critical and informed engagement with digital technologies. The group also envisioned using digital tools to facilitate online dialogues, lead community campaigns, and build inclusive digital spaces that are gender-sensitive, culturally grounded, and intergenerational.

During a collective visioning session, the group expressed a shared belief: “Peace is tied to social justice. We cannot envision a peaceful Mindanao without economic, cultural, and ecological justice.” For Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities, this vision goes even deeper: peace is decolonization. It is seen as an active process through which IP communities reclaim their voice, governance systems, and knowledge traditions. Their vision reflects a profound commitment to human dignity, equity, and the care of both people and the non-human elements of Mindanao’s shared heritage. These guiding values shape their peacebuilding efforts across all spaces, including digital platforms.

More than a research activity, the workshop became a space for creativity, reflection, and community-building. Through this initiative, the Social Lab at 麻花星空视频-IIT, in collaboration with DMRC at QUT, continues to support interdisciplinary research and collaborative engagement that centers young women leaders' expertise to shape inclusive and sustainable pathways to peace in the digital age.

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