WORKSHOP FOR EDUCATORS ON PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING, RESPECT AND HARMONY AMONG FAITHS FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE
Over 50 educators and representatives of community NGOs from all over the Philippines gathered in Miriam College recently for a workshop on “Promoting Understanding, Respect and Harmony among Faiths for a Culture of Peace”. Supported by the Australian Government through the Strengthening Grassroots Interfaith Dialogue and Understanding (SGIDU) program, the workshop was spearheaded by the Multi-Faith Centre in Griffith University, Brisbane in cooperation with Miriam College’s Centre for Peace Education, the United Religions Initiative (URI) Peacemakers Circle, and the Silsilah Dialogue Movement.
Professor Toh Swee-Hin, Director of Griffith University’s Multi-Faith Centre and the Laureate, UNESCO Prize for Peace Education (2000) said the workshop served to gain a deeper understanding of diverse faiths and respect intercultural and inter-faith sensitivities, citing the importance of these issues in the pursuit of lasting peace in the Philippines. The workshop also encourage both learners and educators to undertake personal and social transformations in order to build a culture of peace in their respective areas.
The SGIDU program, managed by the Australian Embassy, offers funding assistance to projects that contribute to strengthening understanding and acceptance between communities of different faiths at the grassroots level, and that promote peace-building and anti-violence messages. For more information, call the SGIDU Secretariat on 02 757 8256.