On Thursday, February 26th, the Youth Interfaith Intercultural Programme (YIIP) kicked off an exciting new chapter for our Grade 11 cohort at a new venue, SASNEV Cultural Centre in Pinelands.
This year shifts the lens toward Active Citizenship and the question: “Who are we in the world?”
It was clear that the learners from such diverse backgrounds and circumstances, already had a rapport with one another. This was very gratifying to see, as the long-term aim of the CTII is to build socially cohesive community.
Aidon Allies, who graduated in 2024, and was part of the Cape Town Junior City council, has come into a leadership role in the YIIP. He is now studying at the University of Cape Town, and now has an opportunity to exercise his clear leadership skills.
Connecting the Glocal
The session, (ed: run by the author Sarah Oliver) titled “Local Eyes, Global Heart,” was designed to show our young leaders that while their work begins in Cape Town, they are part of a massive, global movement for peace.
Aidon started the afternoon with a high-energy game. Using a simple ball to illustrate how we approach social issues, the learners explored the interplay between local challenges and global strategies. It was a fun way to visualize how we need to work together as communities and how our actions can resonate across the world.
The learners then moved into a period of reflection, identifying local issues they are passionate about—ranging from environmental justice to social inequality—and examining how these same issues manifest on a global scale.
Voices from Around the World
One of the highlights of the afternoon was our Guest Panel. We were privileged to be joined virtually by three incredible youth leaders who are also members of the URI (United Religions Initiative), who are currently spearheading change in their own corners of the globe.
Anthonia Folashade from Building Blocks for Peace in Nigeria shared their story of wanting to make a difference particularly with regards to conflict between Muslims and Christians, and after being unsure of what to study at first, she became the first female to graduate in the Religious Studies Department at her university. She now works for Building Blocks for Peace Nigeria, training young people as peacebuilders across the country.
Mangesh Pol from Maher in India spoke about his own experience growing up as part of the ‘untouchable’ caste in India. He found belonging at the home for women and children ‘Maher’ a place where all are treated equally and all religions celebrated. He’s since grown up to lead interfaith initiatives for this organization with a deep commitment to LOVE as his religion.
Mehmet Halil from Bridges Eastern European Forum for Dialogue in Bulgaria inspired the group by sharing how he responds to stereotypes and assumptions because of his faith as a Muslim. He described making a choice in how he reacted and choosing to represent his faith through his behavior and choosing dignity over ego. Bridges is an organization in Bulgaria that runs a similar youth programme to CTII, bringing 16-17 year olds together from different religious traditions to learn about each other and the world.
Hearing these firsthand accounts bridged the distance between Cape Town and the rest of the world, proving to our learners that age is no barrier to being a “changemaker.” With “Local Eyes and Global Hearts,” these young leaders are taking their steps at expanding their horizons across borders for a more peaceful world.
The session really opened the eyes of all to the breadth and depth of connection possible across the globe. The freshness of youth that has not been compromised by time, combining with the solid experience of those like Sarah left everyone with a profound sense of hope and possibility. It promises to be the most cohesive group of interfaith youth yet produced by the program.
