URI is grateful to Sarah Talcott, URI young adult leader and contact person for the URI Global Youth CC, who developed this activity as part of the Interfaith Leadership Retreat held for young adult interfaith leaders in Cyprus in June 2006. This activity is recommended for URI CCs groups or for any group that comes together from different faith backgrounds to make a positive difference.

This activity explores the possibilities and limits for interfaith healing and reconciliation.

Purpose:

·        To explore possible contributions of an interfaith group to healing in the community.

·        To increase the commitment to promote healing in practical ways.

Directions:

1. Small Group Work

In small groups of three or four, please discuss the question:

How can we as an interfaith group contribute to the healing of our communities?

Identify three or four situations in the community where healing and reconciliation are needed. Preferably, the situations would be those in which group members themselves feel some need for healing.

Brainstorm activities that can be helpful in starting new or supporting existing processes of reconciliation and healing, including symbolic acts as well as practical actions. It may help inspire thinking for the facilitator or for members of the small groups to begin by sharing examples from other conflict areas or contexts.

Prepare suggestions on large sheets of paper to present to the whole group.

2. Large Group Discussion

Reconvene as a large group and ask each small group to present their suggestions. Use lists recorded on the large sheets of paper.

When all groups have presented, ask large group to evaluate the list of possible activities according to the following criteria.

·        Willingness: How willing are the members of the interfaith group to engage in a healing and reconciliation activity in the community?

·        Experience: Do any of them have experience with this type of activity?

·        Time: How long would an engagement be likely to take?

·        Resources: Does the interfaith group have the resources to carry out an activity in the community?

·        Risk: How risky is the specific activity being considered (emotionally, politically, for security, etc.)?

·        Cooperation with other groups: Are there other groups inside the community or out who are conducting or might be interested in cooperating on this type of activity?

Caveats:

Organizing and carrying out an interfaith activity for healing and reconciliation is a major step in the life of many groups. It is essential that the group be patient and allow the time and space to reach an appropriate level of comfort and confidence in moving forward.

If the group decides to become active in the community, there are some basic conditions for successful action:

·        The group should carefully prepare the ritual, event, or action and role play or rehearse it at least once ahead of time

·        Avoid obligatory participation for any shared religious rituals or practices.

·        Balanced and fair participation is an important principle in whatever is undertaken.he wider the representation of different faith traditions in the activity, the more likely it will convey the desired message of healing and reconciliation.