Metropolitan Trainings

Participants at the Kisumu Metropolitan Training 2022 in Homa Bay ©CIRDE

Since 2021, each year CIRDE conducts four Metropolitan trainings in Kenya, reaching all Diocesan CIRDE coordinators, as well as members of the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (AOSK), Religious Superiors’ Conference of Kenya (RSCK), the Catholic Women and Men Associations (CWA and CMA) and the Youth.

At the time of the AGM, CIRDE has reached a milestone with every of the, at that time, 26 Catholic Dioceses in Kenya having an appointed CIRDE coordinator or focal person. Based on this, CIRDE is continuing to strengthen its commitment in Kenya to bring mutual understanding among faiths and religions and to promote peace, dialogue and collaboration.

Group Discussion during Mombasa Metropolitan Training 2021 in Mombasa
©CIRDE

 

 

The trainings are typically facilitated by CIRDE and by the Institute for Interreligious Dialogue & Islamic Studies (IRDIS) of the Tangaza University College.

The topics from 2021 to 2023 included:

  • Introduction to Interreligious Dialogue;
  • History of Ecumenical Movement;
  • The Bishop and Christian Unity: An Ecumenical Vademecum;
  • Interreligious dialogue exposure trips, e.g. to the Jamia Mosque in Machakos in 2023 or to the Giriama of the Mijikenda community to visit their sacred Kaya forest in Singwaya during the training in Malindi in 2023;

    Guest Speaker Ms. Sadia Hussein at the Nyeri Metropolitan Training 2023 in Meru ©CIRDE
  • Introduction to our study manual;
  • History of Christian Muslim Dialogue;
  • Environmental Peacebuilding;
  • The Role of Identity in Dialogue;
  • Dialogue in Truth and Charity;
  • Planning Exercises;
  • Guidelines and encouragement to establish CIRDE structures in all Dioceses
  • Foundations of Dialogue

    CIRDE participants at the Jamia Mosque during the Nairobi Metropolitan Training 2023 in Machakos
    ©CIRDE
  • Introduction to Peacebuilding
  • Introduction to Nostra Aetate
  • The Promotion of Ecumenism within the Catholic Church.

The trainings took place at:

  • Kisumu Metropolitan Trainings – Eldoret (2023), Homa Bay (2022) and Bungoma (2021)
  • Nairobi Metropolitan Training – Machakos (2023), Nairobi (2022) and Nakuru (2021)
  • Nyeri Metropolitan Training – Meru (2023), Nyahururu (2022) and Isiolo (2021)
  • Mombasa Metropolitan Training – Malindi (2023 & 2022) and Mombasa (2021)