Paper short abstract:

This presentation examines the concepts, tools, and processes that define, establish, and sustain colonization and suggests ways of decolonization as a change process. It also examines the different dimensions through which decolonization should take place and the roles various actors could play.

Paper long abstract:

IIPC is a nonprofit, faith-based organization devoted to safeguarding the sanctity and dignity of human life and facilitating the actualization of mankind’s fullest potential through religious diplomacy. IIPC’s activities center around promoting collaborative interfaith work to reduce mistrust and differences between entrenched traditional values, mostly defined by different spiritual beliefs and practices, and modern secular leanings.

We collaborate with governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations to mobilize the moral support and active participation of religious and traditional local community leaders in solving global problems of mistrust, misconceptions, misinformation, and a general lack of awareness. We work to overcome the material, intellectual, spiritual, and social challenges to progress in the areas of education, health, peacebuilding, and socio-economic development.

This presentation will explore the concepts, tools and processes that define, establish, and sustain both colonization and decolonization, since it is impossible to discuss decolonization outside the context of colonization, as a process by which nations establish and maintain dominant relationships over other nations or foreign territory. The presentation will further examine the concepts of development and faith, their connection to decolonization, and what role both could possibly play in the process of decolonization and how that can be done. Having understood decolonization as an economic, intellectual, spiritual, and a social change process, it will be natural to expect resistance and therefore I would also try to address concepts relating to the process of social change, including its meaning, barriers to it, or the resistant factors, and suggest strategies to overcome these barriers.