Youth from different religious and social backgrounds can play a sport together, for example football, in mixed teams to showcase interreligious coexistence. This event normally takes place in the environment linked to this sport (ex: on a football field), with a greater impact when it is implemented in neighborhoods of a city where there are interreligious tensions. It is advised to organize such sport encounters on a regular basis (more than only once as a symbolic event), so as to animate the neighborhood and establish long-term bonds.

Moreover, youth of different cultural and religious backgrounds can gather to hike along and across conflictual borders for peace and as a symbol of unity. Through this initiative, the participants can prove that living and walking through the same path regardless of their differences is possible.  

Youth from different religious and social backgrounds can play a sport together, for example football, in mixed teams to showcase interreligious coexistence. This event normally takes place in the environment linked to this sport (ex: on a football field), with a greater impact when it is implemented in neighborhoods of a city where there are interreligious tensions. It is advised to organize such sport encounters on a regular basis (more than only once as a symbolic event), so as to animate the neighborhood and establish long-term bonds.

Moreover, youth of different cultural and religious backgrounds can gather to hike along and across conflictual borders for peace and as a symbol of unity. Through this initiative, the participants can prove that living and walking through the same path regardless of their differences is possible.  

Activity: Structure and Needs

This activity has proven to be successful in suburbs of a city where there is religious diversity. To implement this promising practice, it is recommended to contact the city hall of the area or an active NGO of the neighborhood to help coordinate the initiative. Another possibility is to set up an interfaith team for a local sport event. Information can be provided by the nearest local community center or city hall which will provide you with the information on the next tournament. As an NGO, it is advised to book a playground and advertise the event among the youth of the neighborhood. It is very important that these sport encounters be followed by informal after-match dialogue and, if possible, with social outings that can help create the personal bounding beyond the sharing of the game itself.

As for a hike, it requires a few weeks of organizing, depending on how big the chosen geographical area and hiking project are. It also requires experienced hikers as well as diversity among the group to represent the country in all its plurality. Once the participants have been selected, they have to raise funds in order to provide participants with food for the trip as well as shelter depending on the hike’s duration. Tasks should rotate every day t in order for participants to contribute to the group’s well-being.

Objectives: Impact and Focus

This practice focuses on the youth of a given neighborhood. The activity, through focusing on social diversity, creates social links and enhances dialogue between members of various religious communities (and beyond). Moreover, the activity helps young people meet across often dividing identity lines, in a spirit of friendly competition that can help alleviate tensions, in both preventive and post-conflict approaches. Participants get to connect to one another on a deeper level as they struggle together through physical effort.

Moreover, hiking along and across borders as one united group is a strong display of unity and active coexistence. This project enables them to witness and share their experiences to challenge stereotypes they have faced or prejudice against other communities. At the end of the project, the participating youth becomes empowered to raise awareness on unity and coexistence, thus become speakers who influence other youth and the community and initiate discussions on questions of unity in diversity. This practice is promising as it brings together different communities, and engages them in an activity that transcends their beliefs and challenges them to collaborate and cooperate.

Field Data: Examples and Sources (Activity – Organisation – Location)

1.) Coexister – Paris, France

In France, Coexister is leading this kind of initiative in over 36 cities in Europe. Coexister is a neutral and non-denominational French youth movement that has been advocating Active Coexistence through a method of peer education aimed at 15-35 year-old people since 2009. They organise these interfaith football matches to raise awareness around the slogan: “Different Faiths, Common Action”.

2.) Hikers for Peace – Cyprus Coastline Hikers – Nicosia, Cyprus

Cyprus Coastline Hikers is a youth and sport-based centered on coexistence, intercultural dialogue, and unity. Considering the reality of their island, the separation between Greek-Cypriots (mainly Orthodox) on and Turkish-Cypriots (mainly Muslim), this youth group gathers to hike along the coasts of Cyprus, therefore crossing the border that divides Nicosia and the whole island in two.