Sarah Oliver CTII Schools Programme

Local Eyes, Global Heart: Launching the 2026 Grade 11 Journey

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.

It takes a village … teachers, lifters and supporters

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.

Sarah comes with hands and themes

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.

Live interface with Mangesh in India, Anthonia in Nigeria, and Mehmet in Bulgaria

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.

Captain Equality, Aidon Allies
Nic Paton Cape Town activities, Dialogues, Parliament of World Religions

CTII at Michael Oak Waldorf School

It was a delight to be invited to the Michael Oak Waldorf School on Friday 27 February to talk to the matric religious studies class. Teacher Roy Davids curated the space very well and this “ad-hoc” (non YIIP) schools encounter follows on from CTII our presentation to Springfield Convent last year.

The CTII provides a service to schools who want to deepen the interfaith awareness in their own environments. Sarah Oliver, Veli Ntsume and myself attended, together with Veli’s daughter Sam, a theology graduate from Stellenbosch university.

Roy’s brief was for the CTII to address:
* A history of the CTII, why, when and by whom it was formed?
* The activities that it was and is currently involved in?
* The people that make up the CTII and how people can become more involved in the organisation?

The presentation flowed well, and we gave background and history of the CTII referring to its birth out of the Parliament of the World’s Religions after the 1999 meeting in Cape Town. We spoke of the international networks such as URI and the Charter for Compassion.

Interesting questions were raised by the matrics, concerning the place of atheists in interfaith, and the challenges faced by interfaith activists. We mentioned political fragmentation and the absence of religious leaders in interfaith as 2 examples. And as we so often do said that at the CTII “all faiths, and none” are welcome.

Nic Paton Announcements, funding

CTII chosen for the New Africa Fund 2026 cohort

CTII is one of 70 organisations chosen from over 4000 applicants across the continent of Africa to take part in the 3rd New Africa Fund cohort. We are now eligible to benefit from their AIFG: the Africa Impact Fundraising Grant.

Our achievements, including the YIIP Schools program, and an effective 2025 year with dialogs and interfaith and intercultural social events, caught the eye of the NAF. The AIFG model meets all funds raised up to $5000 US with matching donations, putting the onus on us to own and manage our fundraising. The last cohort raised 70% of its money from inside the African continent, making it a largely indigenous endeavor.

March is the “challenge month” in which we as the CTII focus on our funding goal. All funds raised in March will qualify for the matching AIFG grant. And as we are aware this is also Ramadan, and the season of Lent: a time of renewal through reflection, discipline and giving.

Venture philanthropy such as that of the NAF, seeks to use many of the venture capitalist’s tools, like matched funding, but with an outcome of social impact rather than profit.

Previous grantees known to us include the late Imam Muhsin Hendricks’s Al-Gurbaah, the only South African organisation in amongst a continent-wide range of NGOs.

From https://www.newafricafund.org/

As we see it, funding is an extension of what we do already… the creation of community across faith and cultural boundaries. Via dialog and friendship we seek to bridge divides and create new common ground for the fulfillment of the ubuntu spirituality that is at our heart.

Funding is one expression of our interdependence, where resources are brought together for the common good; this good includes our talents, our time, tithes/treasure, and crucially our ties – the connections with others and the being part of a network.

(We have started a BackaBuddy crowdfunding campaign before we knew about our being chosen for the NAF and it remains active, however we are targeting the New Africa Fund over the month of March).

If you care about interfaith and intercultural connection, please consider how you might be part of our challenge.

Commit to communicating with 5 people over March with a possibility of raising funds for CTII and its programs through them or via them to other potentially interested partners. Take time to explain how our unique organisation creates dialog, builds community, and promotes interfaith and intercultural education with a strong youth focus.

  • See yourself as an empowered part of our resourcing and fundraising. Include yourself!
  • Commit time to building long-term interfaith and intercultural relationships.
  • Share your ties communicating with anyone you feel might be interested in the CTII.
  • Be a direct giver of treasure – your money or tithes, or invite others to give.
  • Offer your talents through creative expressions of interconnectedness and network building.

Contact us if you are interested and not already part of our community.

Cecil Plaatjies Cape Town activities, Tribute

Muhsin Hendricks: From fear to love

On Sunday 15 February 2026 we took part in a memorial service for the slain Imam Muhsin Hendricks. It was a bittersweet day as we remembered the brutal manner in which his life ended, the unsolved murder case, and celebrated his life, lived beautifully. Sadness flowed freely with gratitude, as did mourning and resolute determination to do good.

Rev Laurie Gaum with Dean Terry Lester

Dean Terry Lester opened the event at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town. Rev. Laurie Gaum from CTII (& The Queer Faith Collective & Genderworx) did a stunning job as the MC.

The event opened with a Dhikr ceremony (remembrance) led by Ziyaad Follentine, on a big prayer carpet in front of the altar steps.

The Dhikr

Key organising partners were Muhsin’s Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, The Queer Faith Collective, and the CTII.

Words of support from different parts of the country and from abroad were shared, including the USA, Kenya, Canada, the UK, and Germany.

The Heindrich Böll Foundation, the Global Interfaith Network (GIN-SSIGIE), LGBTQIA Traditional Healers Forum, and SA Jews for a Free Palestine, and Inclusive & Affirming Ministries (IAM) also made heartfelt offerings. All presences both in person and by video or remotely were appreciated.

Ven. Rev. Nima Taylor from the Unitarian Church and CTII closed, shared her experience of Muhsin, recalling his deep humanity. And his style.

I was particularly touched by a poem, “My Dua is Love” by Sanah Ahsan, a published poet from the UK.

Poet Sanah Ahsan

The CTII Choir performed between the talks. Their first song was beautifully introduced by Anouschka, a member of the CTII Schools Programme.

Jody and Anouschka of CTII Youth Program

The audience immediately paid attention when the choir started with La ilaha ilalah. Many left their seats to get closer to the choir. The same happened during the performance of the other three songs.

CTII Community Choir

We appreciated all who attended. The event was livestreamed and is available on YouTube.

We are saddened that only a few people from the Muslim community attended. There was a complete absence of progressive Muslim leaders and activists, who are CTII members and interfaith partners. This was an opportunity to stand up for justice, stand against crime, uphold human dignity and remember one of our own, that was missed.

We have immense compassion for those who cannot transcend their differences in order to stand for what is right, and will continue to create spaces for everyone to be spiritually free.

After the service, a protest was held presenting a memorandum to the South African Police Services and placing an effigy representing Muhsin and the absence of closure for us all, in front of the police station.

Justice for imam Muhsin Hendricks!