#SelfieForPeace: Take a selfie, be part of history

MANILA, Philippines – It’s a historic peace deal that calls for no less than a national celebration.

After 17 years of strenuous negotiations, the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Foundation (MILF) will finally sign a peace agreement on Thursday, March 27, aiming to end 40 years of conflict in Mindanao.

The signing comes two months after both sides signed an agreement in Kuala Lumpur, that would require the rebel group to gradually decommission their firearms in phases.

#SelfieForPeace

But peacebuilding involves not just the two groups, nor would it benefit only the few.

Youth groups, especially in Mindanao, also took part in the campaign to encourage the government and the MILF to come to an agreement. 

Now that the peace deal is about to be signed, the youth can make their voice heard again through their own platform – online – and their favorite form of expression: selfie.

The Blas F. Ople Policy Center, in cooperation with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and Rappler, is mounting the #SelfieforPeace campaign to encourage the youth to take their most expressive selfies as they participate in the historic peace deal signing wherever they are.

The campaign begins Monday, March 24.

To participate in the campaign, simply follow these guidelines:

1. Take a “selfie” while flashing a peace sign at the camera. An individual or a group of people can take part.

2. Participants must upload their selfies online using #SelfieForPeace and should include a caption about peace.

(Example: It’s about time for peace in the Philippines. #SelfieForPeace [Photo attached]. Mahatma Gandhi: An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. #SelfieForPeace [Photo attached])

3. Selfies without the hashtag and peace caption will not be considered entries.

4. Participants can submit as many entries as they like.

5. Participants who submitted the 50 most expressive and creative selfies will each receive commemorative peace T-shirts donated by OPAPP.

6. The best selfies of the day will be featured on Rappler.

7. The T-shirts can be picked up at the Rappler office from April 8–April 18, 2014 for those living in Metro Manila and delivered from April 8–April 11, 2014 for those outside Metro Manila.

So join us and let’s see how excited you are for peace!

Take out your smartphones, gather your friends, swap ideas, and let us know what you want to say, or in this case, selfie. – Rappler.com

Read more about the #PeaceTalks.