Lian Gogali grew up in Poso, Indonesia. She left her village in 1997 to complete an undergraduate  degree in theology in Yogyakarta, Central Java. When Lian returned home for her father’s funeral in 1999, she was shocked to see that Poso had fallen into a violent communal conflict between Muslims and Christians. Lian returned to Yogyakarta to continue her studies, but deeply affected by the conflict, she joined two student interfaith groups devoted to reducing communal tensions. In 2002, Lian returned to Poso and spend some time in refugee camps for those displaced by the violence, both Muslims and Christians, and interviewed hundreds of women and children. After completing her master’s degree in 2006, Lian returned to Poso in 2007, convinced to devote her life to assist Muslim and Christian women and children of the region in rebuilding and sustaining their communities. In 2008, Lian established Institute MOSINTUWU, a place where post-conflict victims, former combatants, and women of any religion can come together as friends and work towards establishing coexistence in the region and create a lasting culture of peace and justice.