The Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) has concluded its five-year project in Kaduna with a call for continued commitment to freedom of religion, peaceful coexistence and social inclusion.
At the close-out ceremony on Tuesday in Kaduna, the executive director of the Women Interfaith Council (WIC), Rev. Sr. Veronica Ifevinwa Onveanisi (OLA), expressed gratitude to the partners for their unwavering support throughout the life of the project.
Onveanisi said, “Today is not an end, but a memorable milestone – a reminder that the seeds we have planted must continue to be nurtured.”
She disclosed that the JISRA initiative, a global interfaith peace building effort, was implemented across seven countries—Nigeria, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kenya, Indonesia, Uganda, and Mali, adding that, in Nigeria, the project saw a consortium of international and local organisations – such as Tearfund, Search for Common Ground, CAFOD, Development Initiative of West Africa (DIWA), FOMWAN, Scripture Union West Africa (SUWA), Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP), RURCON, and the Women’s Interfaith Council (WIC) – work together to promote inclusive societies where Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is respected.
Rev. Sr. Onveanisi highlighted the project’s successes in dismantling harmful cultural practices and fostering relationships through intra-, inter-, and extra-religious engagements.
“Through dialogue, capacity building, and joint action, we have seen barriers broken, trust restored, and partnerships strengthened,” she said. “These are the true legacies of the JISRA project.”
She praised the Kaduna State Government for providing an enabling environment, stating that the presence, policies, and legislative support of the state were critical to the project’s success.
“The government of Kaduna has been the fertile ground upon which the seeds of social cohesion were sown. What started as a program has now become a movement,” she affirmed.
Participants at the event described the ceremony as both a celebration of success and a call to action.
As the curtains fall on the JISRA project, stakeholders also expressed confidence that the structures, skills, and interfaith networks established over the past five years will continue to yield lasting impact.
“Let us remain committed to a socially inclusive society where everyone, regardless of faith or background, can live in dignity, safety, and peace,” Rev. Sr. Onveanisi urged.
Also speaking, Kaduna State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker Hon Henry Magaji Danjuma commended the WIC JISRA facilitators, partners and sponsors for sustaining peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance in Kaduna State.
The event featured cultural performances, testimonials from community beneficiaries, and a panel discussion on sustaining peace-building efforts beyond donor-funded intervention.
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