Responding to the UN Resolution, the Silsilah Forum Davao (SFD), a Dialogue Movement promoting deeper understanding and better relation between Muslims, Christians and peoples of other faith traditions. The SFD decided to participate actively to the celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 1-7, 2013, with the theme “Celebrating Interfaith Harmony for Love and Service to God and One Another”. The SFD will be conducting a Student Leaders Confluence for Harmony on Friday February 1, 2013 at 8:30-11:00 A.M. The participants are Student Leaders from different universities and schools in Davao City, Philippines. The initiative aims: 1. to promote the World Interfaith Harmony Week, 2.to facilitate dynamic activities and create a space for exchange of thoughts/reflections/insights on the theme. 3.to encourage participants to initiate voluntarily programs and activities 4.and to strengthen partnership and mutual support in promoting Interfaith Harmony.

A Breakfast with representatives of the different religions present in Belgium, hosted by the Community of Sant'Egidio

"Nigeria, on the west coast of central Africa, is the most populous nation on the continent. The country is about half Muslim, half Christian, with a minority practicing even earlier traditions. Across the land, Nigerians also identify with historic roots in over 300 tribal ethnicities, each with pride in its individuality of language and culture. Nigeria's wealth is in her abundant natural resources, extraordinary human resilience and hospitality, and rich diversity of traditions. Paradoxically her greatest challenges are rooted largely in human disconnection. The resultant ignorance and thus fear of each other perpetuates citizen's inability to embrace one another, cooperate, and share resources and wealth. The resultant poverty, competition, and disunity fuels violent - sometimes brutal - acts against one another that cry out for a new quality of successful human engagement across the land." This hopeful documentary gives voices and faces to 200 courageous Muslims and Christians – diverse young women and men – who unite successfully in Jos, central Nigeria. Refusing to be enemies, they are together during days and evenings of the 2010 International Conference on Youth and Interfaith Communication. They are tense yet excited to finally cross lines of religion, economics, tribe, and gender to transcend the status quo and discover empathy for each other's personal life experiences. Together they realize that "an enemy is one whose story we have not heard," while listening-to-learn and thus dignifying themselves and the "others." Face to face and in small circles, they begin with ice-breakers and continue in depth to discover one another's equal humanity – fear, grief, needs, hopes, and concrete plans for a shared future.These determined young Nigerians illustrate how others worldwide can successfully connect and communicate to create authentic community.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the many paths to the Divine. The evening will be filled with an Interfaith Harmony talk, meditation, prayer, song, healing and messages from Spirit. The Paths Are Many, the Truth is One ~ Love Thy Neighbour! All are welcomed. Refreshments to follow.

In peace dances from various cultures, in chanting of mantras - sacred words from all major world religions, deepened by simple dance movements - we dive into the inner wisdom and love that is common to all religions. Workshop-leader: Sarah Gertraud Emmer

Each 2nd sunday in a month we reflect in our sunday mass on texts and events from the lifes of St. Francis and St. Claire of Assisi to find inspiritions for our own universal brother- and sisterhood. This month we reflect on the franciscan experiences with other religions and on the interreligious "Spirit of Assisi".

Interfaith Works and Women Transcending Boundaries will partner again this year to present our 3rd Interfaith World Harmony Event. This is a 2hr event with many different faith tradions presenting what Harnmony means within their tradition. This year we are concentrating on youth. Each presentation will invovle song, dance, readings etc presented by the youth of that faith. Between 12-15 different and diverse traditions will take part. Last year we had a public turn out of 350 people. A scocial time follows the program.

Dalai Lama foundation is organizing “Interfaith Journey” every year in Bangalore. I had participated on May 2011. It was memorable journey for me and I learnt more then what I learn in my diploma in Interfaith Dialogue. However, I felt that this kind of journey gives good understanding about all religions or faiths. After came back I discussed my experience with youth groups, they were very excited to replicate this program in Ahmadabad because most of the youth groups were from 2002 Gujarat carnage victims. They had been facing a problem of being a tool for some political party who used them for their own interest. Youth had decided to organize ‘Pilgrimage journey’ which can lead peace among all faiths and people can live peaceful. Youth had met at Gandhi Ashram to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd October and they came up with 4th monkey concept can do and think well. Youth had decided that Pilgrimage journey and 4th monkey concept are interconnected with each other, Pilgrimage journey through 4th monkey concept make this program unique for peace building among youth. After 2002 godhra carnage Ahmadabad needs to do something to promote peace among different religious youth. Since nine years people are not ready to accept or understand others faith and these kind of lacking information lead hatred among each other. Interfaith journey or Pilgrimage journey gives another chance to refresh their mind and try to think and do something good for next generation. 2. Objectives •To rebuilt relationship with different religious youth •To understand each similarity and understand each other’s faith •Give respect to each other and holy places •To think beyond one faith and treat equally to all mankind •To understand different dynamic of politics who try to misuse youth power • To reduce tension, violence, misunderstanding among youth •To resume Gandhi’s philosophy on non violence through fourth monkey concept 3. Background of participants All participants were from different faith, class, gender and organization. Especially youth came from middle and poor class and these groups always faced more critical situation when communal clash happen. However, these groups were become positive toward other faiths. Some participants from different organization who work with youths in marginalize area. Women were actively participated in the program because there were some holy places they never went there or even think to go there but they were very happy after visited these places. 4. Process Pilgrimage journey needs lots of homework because youth are not familiar the word of “interfaith”. Most of the youth were from poor or middle class families and they are busy with their work they never heard this word before. However, we called meeting at koba, Gandhinagar for give them basic idea about interfaith / pilgrimage journey and how it will lead towards peace. We met school and college going youth to participate this program and give them the dynamic of how youth are going beyond their responsibility to being a not judgmental on other faiths because some of youth had very negative thought toward other faiths, During journey they share their experience with others and they thankful to this kind of opportunity which made their opinions on other faiths which they never learn in any school or college so far. 5. Actual program The Church:-Two days Interfaith / Pilgrimage journey begins with the Church near Laal Darwaja 8:00 a.m. in the morning. It gives peaceful feelings to start a wonderful day: I think this the best way to start a day where you can feel Holy Spirit in all the places. Pastor of Church give us good understanding about Christianity and how to do pray in Church all those things. He talk about how Islam and Christianity are interconnected with each other and how both religion has been mix culture during Mughal times. He gives us basic understanding on Church revolutions and how Church is always open for all they never discriminate with anyone. Some of youth were afraid to inter the Church before but after pilgrimage visit their confusion was cleared and now they said that they will bring their friends or family in the next time. The Jain (Hindu)Temple: - After wonderful interaction with Pastor we moved to the Jain Temple nearby Shahibaug. When we intern in the Temple we felt some unique and peaceful place nearby our home but we never seen before, it is because some lack of connectivity with each faith with others. We are living such a place where all faiths are available but we never visit their place to feel it, I think this kind of journey give us feeling to understand others and remove our presumption. However, we met with Jain muni (Monk) in Temple. He has good knowledge about Jainism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and Hinduism. He gave us in depth knowledge about Jainism; he said that how all religions are interconnected with each other and how all religion talk about peace, brotherhood and interfaith dialogue. He gave much stress on interfaith dialogue because without dialogue we never understand each other and we always living in an unhealthy atmosphere. He talks about youth power to change the mindset of some conservative people who try to break the relationship with each faith with others. They have special forum for youth and every once in a week they meet with youth and give them knowledge about Jainism, he invite pilgrimage participants to join their forum and some of youth accepted their proposal to join youth forum once in a week. He talks about lots of practically things which lead peace among all religion’s believers. The Gurudwara (Sikh); - After visiting Jain Temple we moved to the Gurudwara for Sikhism at S.G. Highway. It was beautiful structure and peaceful atmosphere when we went to the holy place. The person who delivered the lecture on Sikhism was very happy to see young people from different faiths came to learn on spirituality of every religion. His whole session he can’t stop his happiness to see youth around him. He talks about Sikhism and how ten Gurus suffer their life and scarified their life for truth. He believes in interfaith dialogue among all faiths he gave more stress on religious guru to come forward for interfaith journey. Be told that now these days people are become more conservative we as a religious leader has to organize interfaith journey like you people are doing. He appreciates youth spirit to join such a good mission, he also suggests organizing “Interfaith March” to reach out more people and give them good idea about interfaith dialogue to promote peace among people. The Hindu Temple: - After wonderful thoughts in Gurudwara we went to Temple for Hinduism session at satellite. Swami talked about Hinduism and how they pray to nature and ideals etc. He talked about inter religious relation and how Christian, Islam, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain are closely attached since long time included Moghal and British times influence. He talked about diversity and culture made India as a unique country. He says that all religion is in their way to God and God is for all, its mean we all are children of God so live happy and live other happy too. The Mosque: - Next day we went to the Jama Masjid near Manek chouk for Islam session. This mosque built by Ahmed shah Baadshah, the structure was beautiful it gives peaceful feelings when we intern in the Mosque. Imam (the leader of Jama Mosque) gives good understanding on Islam and he talks about how Islam and other religion have mix culture. He gives some basics idea about what is actual Islam and how some of followers made bade image of Islam. He says that Muslims should follow the teaching of Prophet Mohammad and act on his path now these days’ people are not bothering on what Islam teaches for being a good Muslims. However, He says that do more talk little that’s called Islam. The Gandhi Ashram: - After completing pilgrimage journey we went to Gandhi Ashram to discuss the whole experience gained in the journey. We believe that interfaith journey lead to peace that’s why we decided to go to the Gandhi Ashram for searching peace. Gandhi was recognize icon for peace that’s why Gandhi Ashram for the best place to end interfaith journey. Youth express their view on interfaith journey and how their presumptions change during this journey and they want to do more on interfaith and how to reach more people through pilgrimage journey for making peace among people. 6. Output After second day of pilgrimage youths assembled at Gandhi Ashram, youth has decide to do continues this journey to life long. However, they decided to work on “Fourth monkey” concept so youth can think and do well. This concept brings peace among people and think good for their selves as well as for others too. They talked on “Interfaith March” to join religious leaders for spread peace among people because exclude religious leader will take long time to bring peace but through these leaders we can reach out more people in short time. Youth has discussed on “religious youth groups Vs interfaith youth groups” religious leaders is paying more attention toward youth through seber (youth forum) to strengthen/ join more youth to religious activity. However we want to have interaction between interfaith youth and religious youth in guidance with religious leader who can guide them about interfaith relation. This idea will reach out mass youth to bring peace and reduce misunderstanding with each others.