Uri Seapac Newsletter 2009 Vol1

Th e C o o p e r a t i o n

CIRCLE Interfaith Action for a Culture of Peace

A United Religions Initiative in South East Asia and the Pacific

URI SEAPac Holds 5th Regional Assembly in Mindanao

Vol. IV. No.1 January - June 2009

GLOBAL COUNCIL and STAFF MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Building Regional Teamwork and Strengthening Leadership was the theme of the 5th Regional Assembly of the United Religions Initiative South East Asia and the Pacific Region held from March 15-21, 2009. Hosted by Pakigdait CC, the Assembly took place at the Mindanao Civic Center in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Philippines.

URI’s Staff and Trustees from around the world converged at the Vallombrosa Retreat Center outside San Francisco, USA for the annual Global Staff and Global Council meetings on June 5-12, 2009.

Marked as the longest Regional Assembly and meeting so far, the week-long event combined various activities. The week started with a Sacred Opening followed by a Teambuilding workshop, then the Leadership training program conducted by Peacemakers’ Circle CC. The Strategic Planning and Resource Mobilization meeting followed towards the end of the week. The first Moral Imagination Workshop for the year entitled “Engaging the Moral Imagination in Community Dialogue and Peacebuilding” capped it off.

Guided by the vision of bringing a unique light of interfaith cooperation for peace, justice and healing into the world expressed in URI’s Charter, the diverse group of leaders and staff worked together along with the President’s Council in mutual affection and deep commitment to look ahead to the future and how URI will grow in impact and size.

Building Commitment to the URI Vision and Mission

The Southeast Asia and the Pacific region was represented by the Regional Chair Musa Sanguila, Trustee Marites Guingona Africa, and the Regional Coordinator Shakuntala Vaswani. Trusteee Amir Farid Isahak from Malaysia was unable to participate due to the H1N1 quarantine restrictions in his country.

Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh prayers were offered during the opening rituals. Symbolic of each one’s contribution and commitment to URI’s vision and mission, Charles Gibbs (Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative), Marites Guingona –Africa (Global Council Trustee and outgoing Chairperson of the Regional Council), and Musa Sanguila (Regional Trustee and host of the assembly) lighted three candles. It was followed by offering of water and flower from each CC leader and declaring “On behalf of all the members of (CC NAME), I offer this flower as a symbol of our spiritual bond with the URI Family.” The Program opened with Rev. Fr. Reggie Quijano, Pakigdait Chairman and Abel Moya, Programs Director of Pakigdait CC, conducting the Team Building activities which required the delegates to prove their team building and leadership skills. “What resources and capabilities do we need to bring into being the future that we can imagine?,” Marites Africa (of the Peacemakers’ Circle CC) asked the delegates as she guided everyone through the Leadership workshop based on on the URI PPP and facilitated how the delegates can envision the way they can work together and develop an inspired action plan for the growth of the region based on how URI is now. The workshop had a mix of interaction and creative activities among the delegates. (Continued on next page)

The Regional teams shared highlights of their work, their challenges and aspirations for the future and worked on drafting a three year plan for regional growth and funding. A highlight of the week was a visit to the URI’s office, a photo stop at the Golden Gate Bridge and an interfaith ceremony at the Interfaith Center at the Presidio where the fifty-five people who participated in URI’s first global summit in 1996 held an interfaith ceremony. The gathering ended with expressions of gratitude for the privilege to pray, sing, and work together - united in the intention to be the change we wish to see in the world.

URI is a grassroots, bridge - building organization that believes when people’s passions and initiative are organized, connected and shared, they can create a sustaining global force for good through a unique organizing model called the Cooperation Circle

URI SEAPac Holds 5th Regional Assembly (continued from page 1)

editorial* The Cooperation Circles or CCs are the backbone of the United Religions Initiative (URI) around the globe. An estimate of about 400 cooperation circles have been continuously working for peace and justice through interfaith dialogues, friendship initiatives, education and media. Each one plays a crucial role as a forefront of the URI hub in engaging the world in more than 70 countries. For URI to continue its advocacy to “heal the world”, the CCs should be strengthened since both capacity and sustainability have been major issues confronted by many of the CCs. Thus, how can CCs be strengthened for such? It is important that each CC will be guided by and adhere to the Preamble, Purpose and Principles of the URI as its reflective replica on the ground. And while adherence to the PPP is very important, it is also crucial that transparency be promoted in CC operations. Since transparency in many ways works to ensure responsible and responsive constituency, it also serve as a nurturing tool in communicating clearer motivations and sincere intentions. It is important for all of us to remember that the strength of the CCs forms the strength of URI, and the success of the CCs reflects the vision of the URI. Salam to All! Musa Mohamad Sanguila Chairperson, URI SEAPac Regional Council Trustee, URI Global Council Executive Director, Pakigdait CC

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Publishers Contributors Shakuntala Vaswani Marites Guingona - Africa Musa Mohamad Sanguila Padmini Solomon Indra Udayana Jessiee Kaur Singh

Musa Mohamad Sanguila Shakuntala Vaswani United Religions Initiative SEAPac Regional Office

Sharon Vaswani

(URI -SEAPac) (Peacemakers’ Circle CC) (Pakigdait CC) (Nur Damai CC) (Gandhi Puri Ashram CC) (Center for Melbrourne Multifaith and Others CC) (Green Faith Australia CC) (Peacemakers’ Circle CC) (Interfaith Youth Circle Cambodia CC) (Young Leaders Program, Y4U)

Design and Lay - Out

Sarah Queblatin

Elyse Rider Orlan de Guzman Sam An Ros

Firming up the Regional Functions The Regional team sat down together for brainstorming and review of specific functions and roles. The Strategic Planning Session rounded up highlights of the past meetings and outlined the strategies of the region for the year: Building & Strengthening Regional Coordinating Office; Building Regional Teamwork and Strengthening; and Supporting Local CC Projects and Regional Peace Building. A special Resource Mobilization overview was given by Ted Juanite, the Resource Mobilization Officer of Pakigdait CC, as he guided the regional members about fundraising. The most serious process of all was the whole day review and revision of the Regional Council’s By-Laws which were carefully prepared by Boni Quirog of the Bohol Goodwill Volunteers CC.

Engaging the Moral Imagination The final activity of the Regional Assembly was a public workshop – forum on John Paul Lederach’s Moral Imagination which URI has embraced as part of its peace building programs. The workshop was facilitated by Marites – Guingona Africa, Regional Trustee and Executive Director of the Peacemakers’ Circle CC. The workshop ended with meaning to those present as they looked forward to a more intensive moral imagination engagement

Peacebuilding in Mindanao The Pakigdait CC has played a key role in celebrating March as the Lanao Month of Peace celebration by the Lanao del Norte Government. The Regional Assembly appreciated the support given by the young Governor Dimaporo, who at 28, has dedicatedly worked on peacebuilding in his province of Lanao del Norte. His endorsement of the regional meeting brought about safety and security to the delegates but most of all, inspired the regional team to do further work in Mindanao. The URI SEAP delegates joined the “Panagtagbo” (“Meeting”), an opening activity wherein the Civil Society, Government, and Military start from different origins and meet in the middle, signifying the unity of such sectors in promoting peace in Mindanao. Some delegates were invited to host the interfaith prayers to open the ceremonies. Charles Gibbs, URI Executive Director spoke on behalf of URI’s presence in Mindanao. The closing ceremonies included the release of doves and the planting of the Peace Pole donated by the URI through Mario Toots Fungo (a URI affiliate) of the World Peace Prayer Society. Outside the Assembly schedule, the URI SEAP youth delegates worked together with the Interfaith Youth Council of Pakigdait CC in creating a nature mandala out of (found) leaves and stones gathered from around the peace pole. Meditation and interfaith prayers generated a peaceful energy for the creative activity. This was also an activity in solidarity with the Mindanao Peace Power Day celebrated on March 18 with the Sowing Peace Network in Manila.

S N O I T C A YOUTH YOUTH 4

UNITY of the Peacemakers’ Circle

The Youth for Unity (the interfaith youth group, growing under the wings of The Peacemakers’ Circle) has been very active in its youth activities this year. Here are the highlights for the first half of 2009, compiled by Sharon Vaswani, Interim Youth Coordinator for URI SEAPac.

On January 24, 2009, Y4U: Youth for Unity was privileged to be part of a festival aimed at celebrating the rights of street children and bringing the issues facing them to public consciousness through educational, creative and participatory activities. The festival was run by and with young leaders from NGOs around Metro Manila and reached out to the underprivileged kids and youth in the country. Y4U contributed by running an interactive educational booth throughout the day about the freedom of religion and harmony amidst faith diversity. Last February 28, a post valentine sharing was held on what our faith teaches us about love, and how to practice this in our everyday way of life. What then ensued was a motivating discussion on love in the light of different religions. On Naw-Ruz, the Bahai New Year on March 21, Y4U joined the community in their celebration for some spiritual renewal and also to learn more about this young, but very vibrant faith. Y4U members joined the Earth Day celebration with Earth Day Network last April 18 with interfaith prayers and a collaborative labyrinth making in partnership with the children of Imagine Echo Projects (a grassroots community-based art project led by Sarah Queblatin of Y4U), and members of the Intergral Arts Metta (IAM, Inc.) and SangHabi, Inc. -co-facilitated the interactive community installation art which composed of a stone LABYRINTH incorporated with stations of the four elements of nature. free vectors from www.dryicons.com

URI SEAPac Youth Active in the Regional Assembly “Trailblazing” was the word used to describe the youth’s participation in the Regional Assembly, as the youth played a very pivotal part in the regional meeting. They were also greatly inspired by a memorable meeting with Gov. Khalid Quibranza-Dimaporo, the governor of Lanao del Norte - the youngest governor of the Philippines, at only 28 years. He is a shining exemplar of a youth leader who has taken a keen role in Interfaith and Peacebuilding Dialogue! From coming up with witty energizers, such as the URI clap, to helping coordinate the program and also organizing a very organic and nourishing mandala activity, the youths were very much engaged and a part of the assembly. The youths continued to enliven the spirit of the participants by organizing two very successful Film Screenings of some work being done by the CCs around the region and of the local efforts to lessen the plight of the strained Muslim-Christian relations in Mindanao.

G.R.O.W.T.H. CC (Giving Respect, Opportunity, Wisdom, Transcendence, Harmony) Youth Summer Wokrshop G.R.O.W.T.H conducted “SUMMER WORKSHOP FOR LITTLE YOGIS” on April 13 to 22. The purpose of the Summer Workshop was to develop the young with skills, talents, and also to explore different educational places such as the Bird Sanctuary in Tubod Minglanilla and Crocolandia in Talisay. The children were also exposed to other activities such as baking, swimming, painting, story telling and much more.

INTERFAITH YOUTH CIRCLE CC of CAMBODIA Receives Seed Grant Funding for Peace Project The IYC Cambodia headed by Sam An Ros has designed a project for the youth action entitled, “Community Peace Education” to counteract the unrest due to almost 30 years of civil war in Cambodia. This project has received Seed Grant Funding from URI SEAPac which will help them to promote peace education and environmental consciousness to community members.

Cooperation Circle News

UNITED RELIGIONS INIT In April 2009 United Religions Initiative (URI) in Southeast Asia-Pacific (SEAPac) took its first steps towards actively engaging in the endeavor of realizing its vision of peace, justice and healing in the region and began to help build bridges of friendship and solidarity with a group of grassroots Muslim, Christian and indigenous leaders of conflict-affected communities in Lanao del Norte in Mindanao, the southern region of the Philippines. This unprecedented regional initiative by URI was made possible through the help of Musa Mohamad Sanguila, one of the distinguished members of the Board of Trustees of Pakigdait who is also currently the Chairperson of the URI SEAPac Regional Council and member of the URI Global Council. In a meeting in Manila of URI SEAPac trustees last October 2008, it surfaced during the deliberations on how to put to good use the remaining regional funds of 2008. The trustees warmed up to the idea of using the funds in aid of the victims of the conflict and war in Mindanao. A project proposal was submitted to the URI hub in San Francisco, U.S.A. by the Iligan-based PAKIGDAIT, a local interfaith NGO headed by Musa Sanguila, Fr. Reggie Quijano and other distinguished leaders of the local interfaith community in Iligan. Pakigdait is an active Cooperation Circle (CC) of URI in Mindanao and it has been serving the cause of peace, justice and the wellbeing of the people of Lanao del Norte for over a decade.

Pakigdait CC, also Pakigdait Inc., an NGO based in Mindanao received recognition as the BEST NGO working with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The plaque of appreciation was given on March 23 during the 112th Philippine Army Founding Anniversary celebration held at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila. Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. personally handed the plaque to Pakigdait director Musa Sanguila and program manager Abel Jose A. Moya, after the parade and review, as the 21-Gun salute was being executed. The plaque of appreciation read, “For invaluable support rendered in the advancement of the Philippine Army mission in the strengthening of peace and development in Western Mindanao,” and signed by AFP Lieutenant General Victor S. Ibrado. AFP Generals Alexander B. Yano, Romeo D. Lustestica, Antonio Supnet and Raymundo B. Ferrer were also present during the awarding rites.

PAKIGDAIT RECEIVES AWARD AS BEST NGO GreenFaith Australia organized a forum at the Sustainable Living Festival in Melbourne which was held at Federation Square, hosted by the Sustainable Living Foundation. The Festival ran from 20-22 February 2009 and thousands of people came. The ‘Spirit into Sustainability’ forum celebrated the commonality that exists between the various faiths in the importance of protecting the environment. The forum aimed at encouraging people of faith to take action at a personal and organizational level to live more sustainably and to take proactive steps to encourage others to do the same. This is Green Faith’s contribution to the upcoming Parliament of World Religions to be held in Melbourne in December. Among other activities, Green Faith will focus on another pre-parliament project: Walking Humbly on the Land: A Journey to the Murray River.

GREENFAITH AUSTRALIA HOSTS PUBLIC EVENTS Nur Damai hosted its first in-house Peacebuilding Workshop last 26th April. This was in response to the members’ request to Padmini Solomon to share learings from CONTACT at the Summer Peace Program in Vermont which she had attended recently. “Everyone was happy,” according to Padmini and the participants’ responses were excellent. She was assisted by Niloufer and Sudha who were her co-facilitators. The aim was to have each and every member to be a trainer/facilitator. Topics covered included Peacebuilding - the whys and whats of conflict transformation, dialogue, conflict mapping, reconciliation, and finally a contextualization of the situation in Malaysia. Members were able to contribute their knowledge and as Padmini shared, “we are tapping into the diverse talents of our very resourceful group.”

NUR DAMAI HOLDS PEACEBUILDING LESSON SHARING

TIATIVE ENGAGES INTERFAITH DIALOGUE IN MINDANAO The project proposal was approved by the global URI hub after the Global Assembly in Mayapur, India last December. It was finally launched in Tubod, Lanao del Norte during the celebration of the Lanao Month of Peace last March before the presence of Lanao del Norte Governor Khalid Dimaporo. To fully understand the dynamics of the needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Lanao del Norte, Pakigdait initiated and participated in various community consultations which identified deeper needs of the IDPs. Majority of the identified needs fell under the immediate food and non-food daily needs. The need to capacitate the IDPs in times of armed conflict (or risks) was surfaced as a most valid intervention, given the uncertainty of the peace situation in Lanao del Norte. Addressing the psycho-emotional (PE) effects of the situation also came up as a top priority which needed intervention as well. This project was successfully conducted during April and May of 2009. It was instrumental in mobilising interfaith grassroots structures and in providing a venue for nurturing a culture of healing, peace, and reconcilliation in Lanao del Norte through the various workshops and community interaction, thereby providing a holistic approach in addressing the needs of the IDPs in Lanao del Norte.

As delegate and trainee of the URI’s Moral Imagination Program, Marites Africa, Executive Director of the Peacemakers’ Circle CC has conducted three Moral Imagination workshop – foras over the first five months of 2009. The first one was at the end of the Regional Assembly on March 21 at Tubod Lanao del Norte. The next two were during the Lanao del Norte Interfaith project funded by URI over April and May wherein more than forty interfaith religious grassroots leaders and civil society leaders participated. The Peacemakers’ Circle has also recently formed two new Muslim – Christian groups born out of the interfaith grassroots trainings it has conducted in Quiapo - “Manila Muslim - Christian Peacemakers Organization, Inc.;” and in Taguig - “Muslims - Christians for Unity, Peace, and Progress”. On May 17, 2009 it has partnered with Byakko Shinko Kai – Philippines (BSKP) to join more than 52 countries in the world in synergetic harmony as the Global Peace Meditation and Prayer Day / World Shift Day was celebrated with Symphony of Peace Prayers (SOPP).*

PEACEMAKERS CIRCLE HOSTS INTERFAITH EVENTS and WORKSHOPS

In April, for the Youth Peace Program, Ashram Gandhi Puri CC had more than 400 youth actively involved. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the youth stayed in to experience Ashram life with the Gandhi Puri CC members. They were trained on Yoga with spiritual seminars and discussions, cultural performances, tree planting, and interfaith prayers. The Ashram aims to build community dialogue, peace building, and personality development. Among its recent activities are interfaith dialogue talks with Hindu and Muslim youth. On Saturday June 20th, 2009, The Vice President of Indonesia M. Jusuf Kallaa met with Indra Udayana and the rest of Gandhi Puri CC members to discuss about Community Dialogue through Education Culture Care Society. The Vice President was very supportive on their project on Interfaith Dialogue for Young People.

GANDHI PURI ASHRAM CONDUCTS YOGA FOR YOUTH and COMMUNITY INTERFAITH DIALOGUE On May 4, members of COMMON attended a seminar entitled “Many Faiths: One Humanity” held in Melbourne. CC Leader Jessiee Kaur Singh said an opening Sikh prayer. She also presented on a panel on “How religions together can make a World of Difference” On Marh 27, 2010, COMMON will be holding a healing event for Harmony Day.

CENTER OF MELBOURNE MULTIFAITH AND OTHERS NETWORK SPEAKS ON MANY FAITHS IN HARMONY

United Religions Initiative South East Asia and the Pacific Unit 105 PHILDHRRA Partnership Center 59 C. Salvador St., Loyola Heights Quezon City, PHILIPPINES (+632) 920-7622 uriseap_regionaloffi[email protected] Skype: uriseapac

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“We must be the CHANGE we wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi

what’s inside* URI SEAPac Holds 5th Regional Assembly in Mindanao URI Staff and Global Council Meeting Highlights URI Engages Interfaith Dialogue in Mindanao Cooperation Circle News from: Center of Melbourne Multifaith and Others Network (COMMON) Gandhi Puri Ashram Green Faith Australia Pakigdait Peacemakers Circle Nur Damai Youth Actions from: URI SEAPac Youth Youth for Unity Manila G.R.O.W.T.H. Cebu Interfaith Youth Circle Cambodia

The purpose of the UNITED RELIGIONS INITIATIVE is to promote enduring daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings.