Building Peace a top a hill!
(A youth facilitator’s reflection)
by Sharon Danisha M. Vaswani
On August 12, 2007, more than 60 delegates from 14 countries in Asia set off for the Mornese Center of Spirituality in Pansol, Calamba, Laguna, looking forward with anticipation to the Interfaith Youth Encounter. The theme for this workshop was A Treasure Received… To Be Given To The Full, with the aim of interacting and sharing the experience of interfaith dialogue thus fostering stronger bonds within the youths, ultimately working together to build a peaceful and harmonious world.
A top a magnanimous hill, the workshop was blessed with wonderful bright sunny weather, thus creating a very picturesque site indeed. We, the facilitators from various faith traditions began the day by welcoming everyone with a gesture of welcome from each of the faith traditions. Each participant was also given a bindi (dot on the forehead in between the eyebrows) for them to begin with a Hindu tradition in experiencing the diversity of cultures around them. The dynamic ice breaker got the participants and facilitators acquainted with one another, sharing their experiences, hopes and dreams alike.
Of course, it was not just all fun and games. The representatives from each faith tradition presented on the fundamental teachings so as to enlighten the participants by sharing the basic tenets of the faith, its uniqueness, and its contribution to the world. There was also a mini-exhibit/faith corner displaying symbols, pictures, and additional information where the delegates journeyed to and was helpful in understanding and appreciating the religion. Next, the Peacemakers’ Circle shared their lecture on the visions of peace among religions, centering on the similarities of each religion and how we could build an authentic world in accord with one another.
These talks were followed by a time of discussion where the groups then came up with a slogan which summarized their learnings and realizations of the day. By combining their wits and grit, they presented in a very creative manner the task at hand.
The day closed with a concluding prayer ritual wherein each one wrote their personal prayer for peace and after the prayers were led from the different faith traditions, placed them together so as to signify weaving a peaceful world. We then all prayed to God, the Source of Peace so as to forge relations of peace in the world today.
Many new friendships across faith traditions, cultures, and also countries were forged. Precious and essential lessons were also learnt. Our fervent hope is that like these priceless memories of interaction and genuine love, we too will soar to greater heights and spread the culture of peace in the world, the peace that was meant to be.
The Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) - of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians – Philippines played host to the C.I.A.O. (Conference Interispettoriale Asia Orientale / Inter-Provincial Conference of East Asia) first Asian Youth Camp participated by around 400 youths representing 14 countries from East Asia on August 10 to 14, 2007. Among the various simultaneous activities organized by SYM for their delegates were the Dialogue for building relationship workshop and the interfaith youth encounter conducted by The Peacemakers’ Circle and the Y4U (Youth for Unity) interfaith youth circle.
On the second day of their camp (August 11—Saturday) The Peacemakers’ Circle conducted the half-day workshop on Dialogue for Relationship-Building for 60 participants (among the 400 delegates), held at the Don Bosco College Campus in Canlubang, Laguna. In line with the overall theme of the camp– “Life: A Treasure Received, to be Given to the Full,” – the workshop engaged the participants in experiential activities and exercises to help them deepen their basic understanding of relationship-building and conflict management through dialogue and heart listening.
On August 12 (Sunday) the same batch of participants were engaged in the Y4U (Youth for Unity) Interfaith Youth Encounter held at the Mornese Center of Spirituality in Pansol, Laguna. This was facilitated by core members of the Y4U interfaith youth circle, under the guidance of The Peacemakers’ Circle. The whole-day event gathered together youth representatives and adult speakers from the Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, Baha’i and Wiccan faiths who gave presentations on the basic teachings of their respective traditions. The participants were engaged in an encounter with the different faith traditions through the experience of interfaith prayers, mini-exhibits, videos, forum and interaction with the faith representatives.
