Summary of
the Duke Center for Reconciliation Journey to Uganda

On November 15-18, 2006, forty Christian leaders from nine different countries gathered at Ranch on the Lake (Kampala, Uganda) to reflect on the search for peace in the Great Lakes region of Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Uganda, and the Sudan. The event was organized by Duke Divinity School Center for Reconciliation and co-convened by the Mennonite Central Committee, World Vision, and African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries (ALARM).

The aim of the gathering was to bring together church leaders, grassroots organizers, activists, teachers, and laity for a time of rest, fellowship and reflection on the state of reconciliation in the region. The goal was to discern what is going well in the region, what is missing, and how a biblical vision of reconciliation might offer new resources in dealing with the urgent challenges of conflict in the region.

Over two and a half days, participants shared stories of pain and hope, explored ways these stories fit within a wider biblical framework, assessed current initiatives, reflected on needs, dreamed of new possibilities, and proposed concrete ways forward. More than the organizers could have imagined, the gathering itself served as a significant space of encounter and discovery. Many delegates had not been to Uganda before, nor had they met people from neighboring countries. Participants arrived as strangers and left as companions in the search for peace in the region. Part of the exciting and challenging work ahead will involve finding ways to extend this space of encounter to new areas across the region and the continent.