Happy World Interfaith Harmony Week!!! We hope you are planning to celebrate this week and throughout the month of February, as YES alumni participate in the 2017 Interfaith Harmony Online Workshop (IHOW) and reflect on the 2016 Interfaith Harmony Workshop (IHW).

Read about the inspiring work of IHW participant Hannah and her YES alumni colleagues in the Philippines!

By Hannah Sharif Bashier Sarip, YES 2010-2011, Philippines, hosted by AYA in Florence, SC

In collaboration with: Alia Guiwa (YES 2015-2016) and Johnson Badawi (YES 2010-2011)

On November 18, 2016, 87 high school students participated in the project, "YES for Peace: Bridging Gaps, Celebrating Diversity" at Hinaplanon National High School (HNHS) in Iligan City. The YES alumni implemented the project in partnership with HNHS and Young Active Public Servants (YAPS), a group of college students and young professionals who volunteer in the same high school. The facilitators of the event included fellow exchange alumni and volunteers from a college student organization, MSU-IIT Youth Chain of Peace.

The event included a seminar-workshop on basic peacebuilding concepts and a set of teambuilding activities. Two YES alumni and a member of YAPS discussed the following topics: Fundamentals of Peace & Conflict; Understanding the Dynamics of Biases, Prejudices, & Discrimination; and Role of Youth in Peacebuilding. Their discussions and activities helped them apply what they learned.

In the afternoon, teambuilding activities were conducted to further facilitate their learning from the morning discussions. More importantly, they helped create bridges and connections between the diverse participants. The workshop ended with the participants making origami peace cranes, writing messages of peace, and sharing them with the whole group.

The YES for Peace: Bridging Gaps, Celebrating Diversity was organized and implemented to raise awareness among high school students about the peacebuilding initiatives in the area; empower young people to become active peace advocates in their community; and create a ripple effect in promoting a culture of peace based on nonviolence, respect, tolerance, mutual understanding and solidarity.