South East Asia: Celebrating Differences and Building Bridges

“The road to a peaceful world is a long one and the choice to take it necessitates the kind of courage that will not falter in the face of suffering, pain and defeat.” This is how Val Fajardo, a young member of the Focolare Movement, expressed her sentiments at the end of the 5-day conference on United for Peace Project 2015 held at Mariapolis Peace, Tagaytay City.

The YSEALI (Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative)* United for Peace project brought together 30 youth-leader representatives from Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia to discuss religious and cultural conflicts in Southeast Asia and share best practices in mitigating conflicts in the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) region. The delegates were varied – fashion bloggers, presidential advisers, teachers, journalists, students, heads of NGOs, and social workers – but all committed to working for peace. During the conference, the group also discussed and explored ways in which intercultural dialogue can serve as a tool to resolve disputes.

“Project for Peace” – The conference covered relevant issues such as Understanding Conflict, The Paradigm of Fraternity, Unity, Reciprocity, The Power of Collective Action, all essential to the peace building effort. The various workshops proved to be effective in bringing to fore the strength, creativity and commitment of each participant. And, compelled with the dire need of peace in the world, the delegates worked intensely on project proposals to address conflict mitigation and resolution that will be implemented simultaneously in their own countries. The peace projects that the three nation delegates have worked on are, “Peace Attack” by Indonesia; “Youth Leaders for Peace Camp” by Thailand; and “Peace for Real” for the Philippine delegations. All the proposed projects are meant to involve countless young people and adults, each as a protagonist for peace!

Following the 5-day conference in Tagaytay, three national workshops will take place separately in March in the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia involving 150 young leaders.

At the conclusion of the intense conference, a “Peace Park” was inaugurated and the delegates planted trees in a public school near the Mariapolis Peace. In the middle of the park sits a “Cube of Peace” where various points in building peace are written on each side of the cube, like Treat each person with respect, Share each other’s joys and hurts, Be the first to reach out to the other, Treat others as you want to be treated.

Present during the inauguration were local civil authorities, school heads, educators and students.

The “Peace Park” represented the vision of youth’s United for Peace Project 2015 which is to be united in celebrating differences, building bridges, and bringing about peace, harmony, and unity in the region and in the world. This historical moment bound the hearts and minds of the delegates as they sung together with the youth of the Focolare and all those present the songs Hopes of Peace and Let’s Bridge.

YSEALI gathered young people from different backgrounds, and came out with a solid, efficient and effective project plan to bring peace back to the world. The Focolare Movement has been asked to be a partner in this project until September 2015. A committee – consisting of adult and youth members of the Focolare – was set up in order to design the content of the program and to select suitable resource persons. The Focolare Movement welcomed this opportunity to work with young people and to help them discover that universal brotherhood is the way to resolve conflicts.

Nikko Yumul, a member of the Focolare and one the program’s coordinators states: “Young people are at the stage of life where the attraction of working for something much greater than themselves and the will to pursue it are at its height, and where deep, life-long convictions are moulded in their minds and hearts.”

Some impressions shared by the youth: “Building a united world necessarily entails that we go out, as young people, and relate with those who have a vision of the world the same as ours. We are not alone in our efforts. There are others we can share our goals with. Maybe it is about time we involve ourselves with them.”

Source: New City Press Philippines

* Launched in 2013, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), which is sponsored by the US Embassy, is a program which aims to strengthen youth leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. This is done through civic engagement, environment and natural resources management, and entrepreneurship and economic development.