ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Formation and dialogue for Catholics and Muslim students in the southern Philippines in an area of conflict

Friday, 15 April 2005

Zamboanga (Fides Service) - April is a month of intense activity of formation at Harmony Village, just outside Zamboanga City, in the extreme south of the island of Mindanao, southern Philippines. Harmony Village is the home of Silsilah interreligious movement founded by PIME missionary Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra where, Catholics and Muslims live together, study together and work together in an area devastated by decades of conflict between the regular army and groups of insurgent separatist Muslims.
Every April Harmony Village organises courses of formation in dialogue and peace for university and high school students, Catholics and Muslims and of different ethnic origin. The lectures, this year in English and Arabic, focus on culture of dialogue, the history of Islam, the history of Christianity, the structure and contents of the Bible and the Koran. With the same goal, to build a climate of harmony and reconciliation the followers of both religions, the centre also hold meetings for Muslim and Catholic families and various other activities.
Another Silsilah initiative to foster mutual knowledge, respect and harmony is a four-day youth forum 15-17 April on the island of Jolo. In fact in Jolo after an explosion of violence in January followed by a massive army operation to suppress Muslim secessionists tension is still high. And as a result of the fighting many are living in makeshift shelters having been forced to abandon their homes. Silsilah is recognised and esteemed by Catholic and Muslim groups and has supporters in many parts of the world.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 15/4/2005 righe 25 parole 247)


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