Zamboanga City

Silsilah Dialogue Movement as the front line of this World Interfaith Harmony Week activity in the Philippines especially in Zamboanga City and Mindanao area, have decided to have the Final Activity for the week-long celebration at Zamboanga City Jail together with Persons deprived with Liberty (PDLs).  Silsilah Dialogue Movement has deep interactions and commitment with these PDLs for many years now. Silsilah staffs gave formation on Values Education and Path to Peace to Zamboanga City Jail and San Ramon Penal Colony on regular basis and the results of this formation are very inspiring.

The Peace concert activity prepared by the PDLs and Silsilah staffs took place inside the Zamboanga City jail with the hope to widen the imagination and creativity of the participants (PDLs) in the spirit of the WIHW. This is also to challenge the participants (PDLs) to express and manifest “Dialogue towards Harmony” through their own song lyrics, role place and dance.

To make this activity more significant and special, Silsilah Dialogue Movement invited the WIHW partners to join this celebration and to witness the realities inside the Zamboanga City Jail and also to see the beauty of solidarity with the Persons deprived of Liberty.

Before proceeding to the main venue, the WIHW partners together with the Silsilah staffs gathered together early of February 8, 2020 at the Silsilah Center located at the town of the City. This gathering aims to give the WIHW partners the basic orientation on what to do and what not to do during the visit inside the Zamboanga City Jail.

The orientation was given by Mrs. Pilar Recto, one of the Silsilah staffs who gave regular formation to Zamboanga City Jail PDLs. She gave few advises especially on taking pictures and recording videos to the PDLs. As instructed, only one official photographer is allowed to take photo documentations. We are advised to use our mobile phones less.

Few questions are raised and clarified during the gathering. Also, the objective of this activity was explained by the WIHW Coordinator, Ms. Lady Anne Sheena Macero, where she includes the part of the activity which is the Singing competition and Drama competition. Then and there, the coordinator, herself identified the Judges from the WIHW partners for both competitions and distribute the sheet with criteria a tabulation sheet for each identified Judge on that gathering.

This special celebration creates a good opportunity for other sectors of society and government offices to be part and witness the beauty of the World Interfaith Harmony Week.

Variety of talents was showcased during the event. 3 PDL’s participated the Singing competition while another 3 groups participated the Drama Competition.

During this competition, the PDL’s shows their passion with their talents for singing by composing their own lyrics for their song. While during the Drama, 3 different stories of dialogue were presented. One story focuses on dialogue with Family, another focuses on dialogue with neighbors and one is dialogue among religions.

Each presenter received an award for their hard work and their creativity during the special program.

The PDLs received a Personal hygiene Kit and medical Kit for their personal use during the awarding. The BJMP Personnel also receives an award from Silsilah for being a very supportive partner in different activities and formation of Silsilah Dialogue Movement.

The program ended with a community singing. The PDLs and other people in the crowd held their hands together and sing the song “We are the world.”

Through this gesture, the Persons Deprived with Liberty felt belongingness despite of the reality that they are inside the four walls of the BJMP Facilities.

“Dialogue towards Harmony” has always been an inspiring theme for all, especially to those people who are in need of this kind of motivation the most.

The World Interfaith Harmony Week ended in the most rare but meaningful way. The WIHW celebration does not end only for the first week of February, but Silsilah always remind people that the spirit of this celebration will be carried throughout the year and throughout our journey as people of dialogue.

In our most humble way, we ended the activity with a meaningful lunch with the PDLs and with fulfilled emotions in our hearts. Silsilah will continue to be a sign of hope not only to the local members of society and community but also to those who are most in need. Padayon!

One of the main highlight of this year’s World Interfaith Harmony Week 2020 celebration of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement is the Symposium on Dialogue towards Harmony. The special occasion invited at least 250 participants coming from different government offices, sectors from society, different representatives in the community and other partners of Silsilah.

This activity invites leaders to present three realities in the context of the Philippines and Zamboanga. It is also a plan what they can do together presenting their ideas, plans and aspiration to the Mayor of Zamboanga city and other authorities to listen and support any doable plan.

The activity started with the Harmony Prayer followed by the opening remarks of Ms. Aminda E. Saño, EDC, President of Silsilah Dialogue movement. She mentioned the World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration as a special celebration spearheaded by Silsilah Dialogue Movement which is now spread not only in Zamboanga and Mindanao but also in different parts of Zamboanga City

Engr. George Jocutan, the director of the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) is one of our guest speakers for the said event. His focus is to discuss relevant ideas and concerns of Indigenous peoples in Zamboanga City

Subjectively, he presented the initiative of NCIP and how their mission helped the Indigenous people in Zamboanga City.

His presentation includes the Indigenous peoples’ rights act of 1997 or IPRA law. An Act to recognize, protect and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples. Additional content of the presentation is the Ancestral Domain which is the most challenging concern of the IP’s.

Prof. Julkipli Wadi, the second speaker focuses his talk about the history of Islam in Philippines specifically in Mindanao. He discussed different points of ideas includes how religion and principle up brings one’s ideologies. Islam in Mindanao experience many prejudices because of different ideologies and belief but at the end, we are from one creator and we can achieve harmony by respecting and accepting one’s differences and diversities.

Prof Wadi believes that Islam is a religion of Peace and that all can live in harmony regardless of faith, cultures and religions.

The third speaker is Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME –the convener of the World Interfaith Harmony Week. He focuses his talk on the special celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week and the occasion of the year of Ecumenism, Interreligious Dialogue and Indigenous people.

As the Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), he also emphasizes the relevance of his initiative of Interreligious Dialogue during this special year also in preparation of 500^th year of Christianity in the Philippines on 2021. He uses the document on “Human Fraternity” as an inspiration for the Dialogue and Peace Accord in Zamboanga City which will be then signed by the participants at the end of this special activity.

Mrs. Sarah Handang, the Muslim Coordinator of the World Interfaith Harmony Week 2020 gave a short synthesis of the three realities discussed by the three speakers of the said activity. To make her synthesis short, she emphasizes her synthesis in the spirit of the World Interfaith Harmony Week “Dialogue towards Harmony”. She said we are one human family and to achieve harmony we should move together with compassion and dialogue in our hearts.

The participants are encouraged to raise their concern with the three realities and challenges given by the speakers for the activity.

Many participants were interested to ask about the law mentioned for IP’s and others are curious about what we can do more to spread the initiative of the World Interfaith Harmony Week.

The participant raised the question about what we can do more to spread the spirit of the initiative knowing that others barangays already celebrated the neighbors in Harmony with the collaboration of Emmaus and Silsilah Dialogue Movement.

A Police officer also commends the efforts of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement for their constant determination with their initiative as the frontline in celebrating the World Interfaith Harmony Week. He thanked Silsilah for inviting and recognizing Philippine National Police – Zamboanga City as one of the partners of this special celebration.

Maybe, the most interesting part is when one of the participants asked “Is humility a requirement to attain Dialogue?”

Prof. Wadi answers humility is indeed one of the “must” to have dialogue with others. Through Humility, we can understand each other more without any barriers.

This Open forum not only addresses the concern of the participant who asks the question, but it also gave a great impact to those who listens the question and answer part. The Open forum gave all the people in the room the opportunity to think, listen and understand the dynamic of ideas and how the speakers answer them in full of wisdom and knowledge.

The best part of this activity is the signing of the Peace Accord where all participants are encouraged to affix their signature in the space provided after the Peace Accord statement. This is the Dialogue and Peace Accord where it emphasizes that February 6, 2020, guided by the deeper understanding of peace; we make this Dialogue and Peace Accord adopting the same message of the document “Human Fraternity”.

The activity ended with the Community singing of “Heal the World” where all people from different cultures and religions sang one song, with one hope and with one heart to heal the world and make it a better place.

Truly, Silsilah has always been with great determination to spread the initiative of the World Interfaith Harmony Week. An initiative where we believe that may be challenging especially here in Mindanao but if we will work with sincere hearts, step by step, we can live a better world.

Nowadays, many youths are disturbed because of the many issues they encounter in their family, school and peer. This symposium would let participants understand mental health wellness and how to cope up with it. A background of the Culture of Dialogue and introduction of the World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration was given to more than 700 students of Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology.

The activity aims to strengthen students’ core values on how to handle peer pressure and to learn more about they can transform themselves to be students with values that understand on how to Dialogue with God, Self, Others and Creation.

The activity started with the orientation on the mental health awareness and followed by the Culture of Dialogue presentation by Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME. He also shared some input about the World Interfaith Harmony Week as well as its lined-up activities. One of the highlighted activities this year is the “Neighbor in Harmony”. This activity was done for 3 consecutive years, and this year the number of participating barangays and communities has increased, with the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Center for Holistic Health Care under the program of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement with other affiliated groups like the Mindanao Breast Cancer Support & Empowerment Association (MBCSEA) and National Commission on Indigenous People-Zamboanga City Office (NCIP-ZCO) with Indigenous People Leader (IP’s Leader) spear headed by the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) rendered a Medical Care Service at Barangay Limpapa, Zamboanga City.

World Interfaith Celebration indeed became a strong inspiration to different partners to move together in harmony with all despite of their obligation as call to their own duties, it sympathize with care and shared their services to indigenous people of different faith. It was a great experience to see each group dedication to cater the needs of every patient’s and vice versa.

How the patient’s identify their pain and felt relieved after having the season of acupuncture with the help of CHHC group, their happiness to avail a free consultation with given medicine to take from the group of ZCMC, to enjoy glooming look done by the Military of Bravo Battalion, education formation for our man and women facilitated by the group of MBCSEA, assurance for the needs of the facilities as well as for the security of the area for everyone with the help of the Brgy. Captain of Limpapa together with her colleagues with the cooperation from both NCIP-ZCO and IP’s leaders to pursue a well-organized activity.

The smile and gratefulness of the people in Barangay Limpapa in solidarity of the celebration of WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK with the THEME: “Celebrating Dialogue towards Harmony” has been the strength give strength to different group, to render their services to extend hand in hand help other individuals.

Today, the world is rapidly changing with no fair and just. As agents for change, the youths from Mindanao are called to gather and establish a bond that will transform the modern society into a peaceful and harmonious society. Harmony Youth Day marks its 14th year this 2020. We conceptualize this annual gathering with the spirit of harmony. With this year’s theme: “Celebrating Dialogue towards Harmony”, youths still stand resiliently to showcase the beauty and the uniqueness each of one owned that will leads them to celebrate the common good of all in Mindanao and be harmonized with their relationships with our Creator, ourselves, among others and to the creations amidst diversity.

Harmony Youth Day aims to create a venue for the young people to come together to experience and inspire them to do more in relation to harmony and peace. It will deliver meaningful views on how the youth can change effect in today’s fast rising modern world.

Our search for peace and dialogue in the society continuously faces many challenges of the times. We are at the point of history when we realize that any genuine desire for peace and dialogue among peoples of different faith traditions must necessarily come from an inner conviction sustained by spirituality.

For dialogue starts from God and brings people back to God, it is going back to the treasures of one’s faith that makes this noble desire more concrete, real. This year’s World Interfaith Harmony Week’s theme reminds us that Life is celebrated when a personal transformation fueled by spirituality expresses itself through the dialogue towards harmony. This nourishes and sustains our desire to witness a more humane society, mindful of the importance of peace.

The challenge for the people of sincere hearts is how to harmonize our noble search to these pressing issues. This year marks the celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week in the city of Zamboanga. This time, the 14^th Harmony Youth Day highlighted the immense capability of the youth to dream of a society enjoying peace and solidarity. It is also the high time to acknowledge how the present style of the youth be a tool to spread the spirit of dialogue towards harmony.

Mindanao Breast Cancer Support & Empowerment Association (MBCSEA) has always been in collaboration with the Silsilah Dialogue Movement during the Celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week through the years. The group decided to conduct a FORUM ON EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER for this year’s WIHW and choose the Padayon Center as their venue.

Silsilah helped the group in preparing this activity by inviting the people in the community, especially women to attend the said forum. Atleast 60 participants attended the special activity where Silsilah provided the snacks and food for all the participants,

Dr. Marissa Lim, the adviser of the MBCSEA started the forum by giving lectures and her sharing as a doctor of cancer patients. While giving the lecture about Cancer and how it does affects the life of many people, she also advised the participants to get a self-check and to have a proper lifestyle to prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body

OPEN FORUM —After the lectures and several preventions of the certain disease, the speaker encouraged the participants to raise their clarifications. The participants are very interested with the topic especially most of them have fears of having diagnosed with breast cancer and considering that the medical cure of this disease is uncertain and very expensive.

The main concerns of the participants are the symptoms of this certain disease and where must they go for cure if once they are diagnosed with breast cancer.

The speaker answered them by basic recommendations like to know your body and self-better. It is very important to know how to self-check the breast for possible symptoms of breast cancer. Also, the speaker advice to have a proper lifestyle: eating nutritious foods, avoid processed foods, water therapy to have a proper sleep and to have a regular self-check. If an individual found symptoms of the disease, it would be better to go to the hospital or contact the family doctor for thorough checking and immediate treatment.

Ms. Florence Alcazar — the President MBCSEA also shared her experiences being part of the group and being a Breast Cancer Survivor.

She also showed a short video presenting the simple breast massage on how to make a self-check.

 The participants committed to check their self for symptoms and remember the advices given during the forum.

The member of the MBCSEA, a breast cancer survivor shared how she struggle with this disease and how she made it possible to live a meaningful life after winning the battle.

With the spirit of the World Interfaith Harmony Week 2020 “Celebrating Dialogue towards Harmony”, this activity is very significant. We faced different battles in life and we know that health is the most difficult battle, that if not properly prevented and if taken for granted, we might lose our life.

This activity to raise awareness of the growing risk of the Breast Cancer disease is a good opportunity, especially to the poor community who can’t afford to consult a doctor.

With the efforts of MBCSEA and Silsilah, the activity is successful. The women in the community learned something about the importance of their health and knowing one’s self. May we continue to give compassion to our fellow people regardless of their beliefs and culture and that we may do special things for them for commitment. The spirit of World Interfaith Harmony week will journey throughout the year with the hope to have dialogue with people towards harmony and peace.

The Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) teachers were invited to attend the International training of trainers on Organizational Management, Instructional Mastery, Early Childhood Care and Education and FITRA – Arabic language learning. In the spirit of World Interfaith Harmony Week, teachers can always apply the theme “Dialogue towards Harmony” with their students and even their co-workers.

This program is significant because Madrasah teachers were gathered together and shared their experiences with the group. Silsilah also supported this activity not only because it is subjective but because ALIVE teachers play an important role in upbringing young Muslim children and to mold their values on how to be a better Muslim living the belief that Islam is a religion of Peace.

120 participants from DepEd ALIVE teachers attended the said activity to learn about the different topics to be discussed. This program was facilitated by Singaporean trainers.

With the spirit of the World Interfaith Harmony Week, Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME gave the inspirational message focusing on the World Interfaith Harmony Week theme “Celebrating Dialogue towards Harmony.”  He emphasized how this initiative was celebrated every first week of February of each year. He also mentioned the Corono Virus that affects the health of people. He then said that people can also be a “good virus” where one can radiate peace and harmony to others, to neighbors and to the society for the common good.

Hja. Sarah L. Handang also shared a message why this activity is significant for the World Interfaith Harmony Week. Aside from the idea that participants can learn, they can also apply the theme of the World Interfaith Harmony week which is “Dialogue towards Harmony”. After the inspiring message, she proudly mentioned that Singaporean visitors are there to also facilitate few topics for the participants.

A representative from the Coast Guard District South-western Mindanao also gave a very inspirational message to participants. He mentioned that he was once a Madrasah teacher and also had an experience of teaching children Valued Education in Madrasah. He shared how it has been a challenge but very fulfilling job to do especially it is like serving God by helping the young to know more about their religion.

The Singaporean Speaker also gave an inspirational message during the event. The speaker presented how they move with their initiative in Singapore and how they serve different offices and community.

Apparently, most of the presentation focuses on how they give training for different topics especially in school programs. The visitors are invited to be one of the trainers of the said activity. To experience learning from different nationality and culture is a good opportunity to the participants.

Lastly, the one who shared was inspired by the effort and nobility of the ALIVE teachers to reach despite being the less priority of DepEd. As expressed by the speaker, ALIVE teachers usually faced many challenges especially about financial and workloads. But still, they are happy because they are able to mold young Muslims to have better values.

This activity is significant for the participants because aside from learning different topics: Organizational Management, Instructional Mastery, Early Childhood Care and Education, and Arabic Language, the participants have also witnessed the efforts of the trainers who are from different cultures.

In line with the spirit of the World Interfaith Harmony Week, the activity gave the participants a place where they can learn for their academe and profession and also learn the beauty of solidarity and harmony among other cultures.

After this program, the group was divided into 4 clusters where they have deep learning on their respective topics. Silsilah Dialogue Movement accommodates the 3 day activity with the hope that with this collaboration, Muslim and Christian can strengthen their relationship in the future for the common good.

For 13 consecutive years, it has been an annual tradition to celebrate the Harmony Youth Day. In this year’s collaborative celebration with the World Interfaith Harmony Week, the working committee together with the link moderators of different schools, communities and youth sectors gathered to have a concrete plan on the possible activities for the special event. After a simple yet productive meeting, the team came out with line of activities which includes the Broadway and the first ever “A Path to Harmony Project Runway”.

Given the current situation within the city’s vicinity, the supposed motorcade before the program proper of the 13th Harmony Youth Day was cancelled. However, the participants were advised to went directly to Harmony Village as venue of the program. They were also advised that a call time of 6:30AM to 8:00AM should be strictly followed in order to have an earlier time in ending the program.

The Silpeace Youth Program gave the crowd an extravagant performance with the concept of “Flash Mob” which caught the crowd in surprise and awe. An electrifying energy was brought by performers as the crowd witnessed them. Together with them are the “A Path to Harmony Project Runway” candidates as part of their production number. The loudest cheers from the crowd made the opening salvo an extra ordinary one.

After such, Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, convener of the World Interfaith Harmony Week and the founder of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement gave his warm welcoming remarks to the crowd. He introduced the World Interfaith Harmony Week and its history to the crowd as well as the history of the Harmony Youth Day.

Right after Fr. Seb’s message, the candidates for the first ever “A Path to Harmony Project Runway” which aimed to showcase the beauty of creativity and ideas of young talents in relation to the theme of the World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration. Along with their specialized costumes made from recyclable materials, the candidates confidently displayed their state-of-the-art dresses. There were 10 candidates came from 10 different participating schools who took the opportunity to exhibit their extra – ordinary talents. Each of them were given 2 minutes to give their speeches in line as well to theme of the celebration.

Another highlight of the 13th Harmony Youth Day was the Broadway presentation of 9 participating schools showcasing their creativity in conveying message through this form of art. Each has unique story line in connection with the spirit of the celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week. The presentation brought a roller coaster to the emotions and feelings of the crowd. Each presentation lasted for 10 minutes.

In the middle of the Broadway presentation, the working committee of the 13th Harmony Youth Day select some participants from the crowd to have an interview. They have shared their insights and reflections on their experience on the Harmony Youth Day. Some of them also shared on what would be the impact of this kind of special event to the youth leaders of different areas.

On the latter part of the program, after all the Broadway presentation, certificates were awarded to the participants as part of gratitude on their invaluable support and effort in joining the celebration of this special event. Winners on the first ever Project Runway were also awarded.

After the awarding of certificates, Ms. Aminda E. Saño, EDC, president of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement gave her closing remarks. In her speech, she congratulated the working committee as well as the facilitators of the event for a job well done. She also expressed her greatest gratitude, in behalf of Silsilah, to the participants who came a long way to join the celebration.

On the last part of the program, the crowd were introduced to “Yesterday’s Dream”, which was translated in various local dialects and languages, as the community singing. They sang all together as they close this special event. As the program officially came to an end, all the participants took the opportunity to have some photo ops together with Fr. Seb and Ms. Aminda as a remembrance on their unforgettable experience with the 13th Harmony Youth Day.

13th Harmony youth Day Video: