IRD Activities

• Unity amidst Diversity

  With the theme, “Global Citizens as Interfaith Catalyst for Peace”, the nine participants comprising of lay and staff from the national movements of Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Timor Leste strongly believed that despite diversity in faith practice, a harmonious relationship that brings peace among peoples is possible if each person shall look at him or herself as a global citizen with corresponding social responsibilities. The group met in in Salatiga, Indonesia and discussed such topics as nterfaith Dialogue and Peace Building, National and Local Realities and Indonesia Social Context and Community Development. The theoretical perspective was complimented with the variety of program components such as devotions, session facilitation, community building activities, lecture presentations, group work sessions, dialogue, case study, reporting, interfaith walk, community immersion and home stay, project proposal writing and presentations and cultural fellowship that aimed to build on the potentials and skills of youth to think critically, speak clearly organize writing and practice learned skills

• Workshop on human rights

  The national forum members of Interfaith Cooperation Forum (ICF) in Nepal organized in 2018 a five-day human rights workshop in Pokhara. Among the issues the group identified were bonded labor, human trafficking, child marriages and various types of discrimination based on caste, class, gender and religion. The participants explained that some of the causes behind these problems were political instability, corruption, poverty and patriarchy. This exchange of views had been preceded by an introduction to what are human rights and an outline of its historical development

• 1. Youth empowerment

  116 youth from 16 national movements participated in the 4th Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs Youth Assembly, held in Japan in September 2019. This event reflected the Alliance’s commitment to Challenge 21 imperative of “empowering all, especially youth and women, remains to be the strength of the movement”. The theme of this event was “Living Together Within Nature on a Path to Peace”. The delegates participated in different seminars and thematic workshops, discussed possible solutions on sustainable development, as well as built friendship.On the last night of the Assembly, all delegates enjoyed themselves very much in the cultural night.

Main Focus Countries of Activities

Salatiga, Indonesia - Pokhara, Nepal - Tozanso, Japan