Sierra Leone’s Minister for Defence and National Security opened a five-day ‘Moral Foundations for Democracy’ training programme for 30 members of the Police, the Armed Forces and Civil Society in November, run by Hope – Sierra Leone (H-SL), a local non-government organization affiliated to Initiatives of Change International. It was one of a series of similar programmes during November and December 2007.

The Minister, Mr Palor Conteh, congratulated H-SL for its work towards sustaining peace and stability especially during the recent elections that were praised by the international community as being free and fair. He said that H-SL was way ahead in advocating the change of attitude that the newly elected President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma had mentioned many times during his inaugural speech. Expressing his support and commitment for the MFD programme, Mr Conteh concluded 'We Sierra Leoneans need to change our attitudes towards each other if Sierra Leone is to develop.'

Moral Foundations for Democracy programmes have been run since 2005 with the aim of enabling the Police, Army and Civil Society to work together to strengthen democracy, facilitate reconciliation and heal distrust after the country's recent civil war. By sensitively helping participants address painful past experiences, many expressed that they were now ready to forgive. The courses took place at the Armed Forces Educational Centre at Wilberforce, Freetown with outreach programmes going to Tombo in the Western Rural District and Kono in the rich diamond region east of Freetown which was one of the hardest hit by the war.

For a full report of the November programme click here
For a full report of the December programme click here