On a beautiful warm and sunny autumnal afternoon, our Grade 10 learners gathered together today on Springfield Convent campus for their half-day camp. This is an essential part of our Schools Programme – a chance for the learners to be out of their uniforms and to feel unhurried. It is in these moments that bonds and new friendships are made.
The Programme is not only about what they may learn throughout the year about ‘the other’ or their experiences of faiths and traditions different to their own; it is also about learning how to build community and to make connections with other learners whom they might otherwise not get the chance to meet.
Today 44 learners from 8 different schools came together. We began the afternoon by assembling into teams – each group deciding together their team name, team motto and team song. Then the race was on! They ran all over the Springfield campus following cryptic clues and answering interfaith questions.
Making all this possible were 10 of CTII’s members and friends, and faithful teachers (called out on a Sunday!) who posted themselves at different stations and helped in the smooth running of our Interfaith Treasure Hunt. Special thanks go to Savannah Du Plessis and new CTII intern Lauren Seckington.
Bravo to Team Explorers who won by not necessarily finishing first but finishing with the most correct and creative answers. Well done!
After lunch, we re-assembled for our Cultural Exchange event which Pippa Jones, Lead Facilitator, called “Come to the Table’. The 3 foundational questions of our Youth Programme are: Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?
Today was an extraordinary opportunity for us all to appreciate one another’s cultural and traditional backgrounds, personifying the Rainbow Nation in story, song, and poetry. Each learner shared in the circle about how they identify culturally, many dressed in their traditional clothes, bringing offerings of foods and drinks and putting objects on the table, all of which bore cultural and traditional significance.
We discovered that together that our diversity this year is made up of 16 languages and 18 different countries. From a religious point of view, we include Christian (several denominations), Catholic, Muslim, Seventh Day Adventist, African Traditional, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Rastafarian, “Nones” and Atheist.
Afterwards we gathered around the table to talk more and sample each other’s food and drink offerings.
A very meaningful and enlightening afternoon for all.
