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A link to Dialogue and Peace

WIHW Davao City

World Interfaith Harmony Week 2018 Davao Experience!

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Harmony in human relationships among people is an essential element in our quest for peace and development. For this reason the United Nations had made a Resolution in 2010 to celebrate the first week of February every year as World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW). In the Philippines, it is supported by Republic Act No. 10525. It is “an act declaring the First Week of February of every year as World Interfaith Harmony Week in the entire country and mandating its observance by the different Government agencies.”

In Davao City, we have been celebrating the WIHW for the past six years together with our peace partners. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Transforming Power of the Love of God and Neighbor for the Common Good.”
The World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration in Davao City started with an opening program which was organized and participated by the members of the Focolare Movement on February 1. The Silsilah Forum Davao Muslim Coordinator, Ms. Nor Asiah Adilao was invited to present the background and rationale of the WIHW. Archbishop Emeritus Capalla shared about the theme “Celebrating the Transforming Power of the Love of God and Neighbor for the Common Good.” Then, Ms. Vivien Nobles from the Silsilah shared her concrete experience on the transforming power of the love of God and neighbor.

On the 2nd of February, the Education Department of the Brokenshire College invited Ms. Nor Asiah and Fr. Hermes as resource speakers during the Special Topic 2 seminar of the education students on the theme: “The Role of Educators in Creating a Culture of Dialogue and Peace.”
On the 5th of February, a Youth-Space Day for Harmony was held at the Al-Munawarra Islamic School. This was the first time that one of the programs of the celebration of the WIHW took place in a Muslim community in Davao City.

Through the dynamic and creative activities, the whole morning’s program created a space of peace that promotes mutual respect, friendship, acceptance and appreciation of the differences of the other. Both Muslim and Christian students actively participated in the activity. We are grateful to the school administration for welcoming us; and for the students for taking an active participation during the process of the activity. It was a youthful and meaningful experience of the students being with others, who were different from their own religions and cultures. Indeed, it is essential to provide a space among young people to share their experiences that create peace and harmony.

The week-long celebration concluded with a forum entitled “Life-in-Dialogue, a space for harmony.” The Teachers and religious leaders from various religious education institutions in Davao City participated in the said forum. The representative from the Office of the Consulate General of Indonesia delivered a message on the celebration of the WIHW.

 

 

– Ms. Nor Asiah Madale Adilao

Another Breakthrough in Dialogue!-Davao City

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Silsilah Forum Davao in partnership with Ateneo de Davao University and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia sponsored the opening program of the World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) 2017 last February 1 at the Finster Auditorium of AdDU between 1:30 – 6:00 PM.

The event titled World Interfaith Harmony Week an Atmosphere to Dialogue has this year’s theme: “Celebrating Harmony in the spirit of Mercy and Compassion“. The program was formally opened with the Interfaith Prayer followed by the singing of the national anthem of the Philippines and that of Indonesia. The welcome address was delivered by Fr. Archimedes Lachica, SJ on behalf of the Ateneo de Davao University President, Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ.

For introduction, Silsilah Forum Davao Christian Coordinator Fr. Hermes “Larry” B. Sabud, SM with Muslim Coordinator Ms. Nor Asiah Madale Adilao gave the rationale for the WIHW, an explanation to the video presentation of the WIHW proposal to the UN General assembly.

The Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia, Berlian Napitupulu gave the inspirational message. Representatives of 4 religious groups comprised the Panel of Discussants: Alencio Yap, representative of Rev. Neng Zhen of Buddhism; Abp Emeritus Fernando R. Capalla of the

Bishops-Ulama Conference for Christianity; Jigtar Singh, Indian priest of the Sikh/Hinduism in Davao City; and Ustadz Mustofa Mardjuki, Islamic scholar from Indonesia.

Mr. Lunar T. Fayloga of the Ateneo de Davao University, the master of Ceremony, arranged the discussion in a cosy face to face conversation setting called pakighinabi in Visayan term. Codiscussants Ms. Lou Q. Solijon, BUC Executive Secretary and Ms. Mercy Tabuclin, College faculty of AdDU led the audience to the Open Forum.

To contribute to the atmosphere of dialogue, cultural presentations were given by the consulate general of Indonesia through Indonesian Dance Performing Arts who exhibited a graceful Peacock Dance and by the PEGSABEKA, an intertribal cultural group of students from the

University of South Eastern Philippines (USEP), Mintal campus who presented a tribal ritual dance depicting the stages of agricultural productions: land preparation, planting, harvesting, hunting game and feasting.

The activity of Personal Commitment to Peace and Harmony was conducted towards the end of the session. Participants pasted their leaf with inscriptions of their commitment to the multicolored canvas where the WIHW logo was printed. As a finale, the Universal Prayer for Harmony was prayed in different languages: English, Bahasa Indonesia, Arabic and Visayan. Merienda Cena was served with Filipino and Indonesian delicacies.

The whole program of activities created an atmosphere of dialogue with its informal interactions and photo options. Nature sounds were played as the participants came in to participate in the activities. Silsilah Forum Davao displayed a photo gallery of WIHW initiatives in Davao City in cooperation with the Interfaith Harmony Links from 2013 until 2016. Two hundred ten participants attended the celebration with more than a hundred mainstays while students were arriving and departing at different periods.

WIHW 2017 is another breakthrough of dialogue in Davao City. Even with short time duration for planning and with only three short meetings for the partners, the activity was a success. Without aiming for a prize like that which we have garnered earlier

in 2013, the preparatory committee is thankful for the participation of our peace partners and individuals open to such a celebration. We are encouraged that as a part of Asia our voices and actions are considered significant in the world today. May we continue to create spaces and events with others for dialogue and harmony. As inspired by our Silsilah founder Fr. Sebastiano D’ Ambra, we say Padayon..!