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A highly enlightening three-day conference on trust building in the Eritrean social and political landscape was organized by the Eritrean People's Democratic Party (EPDP) on Wednesday and Thursday received presentations by eleven distinguished panelists coming from different parts of the world.

The conference was opened by welcoming remarks made by Mr. Tesfai Woldemichael (Degiga, and invited to the podium the EPDP chairman, Mr. Menghesteab Asmerom, who made an inspiring opening speech on the urgency for reconciliation and unity among Eritrean forces and wished the conference a resounding success.

In the past two days, the conference raised and discussed six themes that were ably moderated alternately by Mr. Alem Yohannes, EPDP head of Social Affairs Office; Ms Eritrea Alazar, head of Women's Affairs, and Mr. Medhanie Habtizghi, head of Youth Affairs.

During nearly 9-hours of discussions on Wednesday, the meaning of political reconciliation, its practice and implications in Eritrea were presented by Dr/Ambassador Andebrhan Weldegiorgis, leadership member of the Eritrean Forum for National Dialogue (EFND), and Mr. Ghebre-Egziabher Tewelde, representative of the EPDP Chair Office in North America. The first panelist stressed the need of promoting reconciliation among the diaspora forces and communities, and expounded the objectives of the EFND in this aspect. The second speaker defines reconciliation as the sure path to conflict resolution and raised examples on forgiveness. (As stated by the moderators, all the richly researched and effectively presented papers will be made public in the coming few days.)

Professor Ghirmai Negash of Ohio University, USA, and Mr. Abdurahman al-Said (Bohashem), a human rights and democracy activist from UK, extensively dwelt on Eritrean social and cultural values. Prof. Ghirmai, talked on great length on customary laws and the eroding original/indigenous knowledge which need be revived. Bohashem believed that cultural values would help smoothen transition in the society.

The day's third session was on the role of media in trust building. Papers on this theme were presented by Dr. Russom Mesfin; Mr. Tzegai Negash, author, human rights and democracy activist in north America, and Mr. Saleh Johar (Gadi), founder-director of Awate website and Foundation in north America. Dr. Russom narrated, inter alia, the significance of his recent tour to Eritrean refugee communities in Ethiopia and his talks with many Eritrean activists in the region. A long-time change and democracy activist Gadi stated, among other things, that the Eritrean people need to draw as of now the silhouette of their future state in the post-dictatorship period.

On Thursday morning, conflict resolution was presented by Ambassador Adhanom Ghebremariam, leadership member of the Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP), and Dr. Almaz Zerai, a physician from Germany and leading member of the Eritrean women's network in Europe. Ambassador Adhanom focused on the need of forgiving and forgetting past differences and starting anew for a speedy change in Eritrea. Dr Almaz's illustrated presentation defined the different aspects conflict resolution in the Eritrean arena.

Young Beredketab Yohannes, a leadership member of the Eritrean Youth for Change (EYC) from Canada, made another lively presentation on the causes and possible solutions of the exodus of the Eritrean refugees. His well-received presentation raised extended discussion on the role of youth on bequeathing and leading the struggle for change and existing generational problems faced at the present.

The sixth and final session on Thursday was on the persisting mistrust in the Eritrean opposition camp presented by Ms Asghedet Mehreteab, a long-time freedom fighter, women's rights activist and a senior EPDP cadre in North America. Ms Asghedet explored many aspects and instances that have been reinforcing mistrust in the Eritrean opposition camp and what could be done to overcome them.

Every presentation was followed by exhaustive discussion and question and answer sessions.

Mr. Fessehazion Ghebre, leadership member of the Eritrean National Salvation Front (ENSF- Hidri); Mr. Wedeb Tedros, member of the Eritrean Youth Solidarity for change (EYSC), as well as many leadership members of the EPDP were among the invited participants at the conference.

The conference is scheduled to continue the whole day Friday discussing and drafting a memorandum of understanding on the way out drawn from the issues raised under the six themes raised and discussed on Wednesday and Thursday.    

All the panelists at the three-day conference will also making general briefings at the Festival Panel on Saturday which is expected to be attended by other invited guests representing German parties and the office of the Mayor of Frankfurt.