FORMATION
A. FORMATION
The major programs and initiatives of the movement are on education and formation to internalize the Silsilah Vision-Mission, deepen values and attitudes towards a life-in-dialogue, to help appreciate differences of culture and religion and to help grow in conviction and witnessing to one’s own religious and cultural traditions, thus develop wholeness in becoming men and women of dialogue. A journey of personal transformation is necessary to effect any social transformation answer to the need of the times.
1. FORMATION FOR THE SILSILAH FAMILY
Silsilah provides formation to staff, members, volunteers, groups and communities who are part of the Silsilah family. The formation is done together with the Muslim and Christian members, and in some occasion separately to help them deepen their respective faiths, become more open to dialogue and share their experience of faith and commitment.
2. FORMATION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
a) SILSILAH DIALOGUE INSTITUTE It provides enrichment program in dialogue by conducting long and short term courses, seminars, workshops, training and immersion for individuals and groups. It serves as the education-formation arm of the Movement.
a.1) SILSILAH SUMMER COURSE
The principal activity of the institute is the running of the Silsilah Summer Course. The first was initiated in 1987 and has been going on every summer. It is focused on Muslim-Christian relations. The summer course is divided into three modules, all live-in and conducted in Harmony Village. One recent development is that the intensive course has been conducted in other places outside Zamboanga City like Davao and Cagayan de Oro City in response to request.
* Basic Course
offers basic study of Arabic alphabet, Culture of Dialogue, the Quran and the Bible, basic teachings of Islam and Christianity, and history of Islam and Christianity with special attention on Philippine context. It is a one month live-in course and three weekends are spent for immersion experience of the participants in different foster parents homes in the city. The Christians live with Muslim families while the Muslims stay with Christian families. Based on experience of the Institute, this pedagogy is very effective in correcting mutual presumptions, biases and prejudices of the participants against the others religion.
* Special Course
The second module of the summer course lasts for one week. The content every year is different and topics are selected according to relevant social issues affecting dialogue and peace. A research study usually is conducted on the topic and the findings are presented as starting point of discussion during the beginning of the course.
*Intensive Course
This is an abbreviated one-week course of the Basic Course without immersion experiences. The Christian participants are given the opportunity to visit a mosque on Fridays to be able to observe the Muslim congregational prayer and the Muslims to visit a Christian church to observe celebration of the Eucharist.
a.2) ORIENTATION TO CULTURE OF DIALOGUE, PATH TO PEACE The Institute conducts continuing seminars on the culture of dialogue usually on weekends, lasting for three days and offered to groups who wish to know more about dialogue as a way of life, an orientation of the heart and mind. The seminar is usually done in Harmony Village or in any place suitable to the group requesting it.
a.3) LIBRARY AND RESEARCH The SDI library has a rich collection of books on Christianity, Islam and other religions, topics on interreligious dialogue, interfaith relativeness, culture, and peace education. It also has a Filipiniana section. It maintains a good collection of magazine clippings, and other important files on the same topics. The library keeps all the research and findings conducted by the institute.
a.4) EXPOSURE-IMMERSION PROGRAM offered to individuals or groups who wish to have a more systematized immersion experience on Muslim-Christian relationship throughout the year. Upon prior arrangement with the movement, it can be designed according to the participants objectives and needs.
B. INFORMATION SERVICE The movement realizes the major contribution and effectiveness of the media and the internet if optimized in promoting its vision-mission.
1. SILSILAH MEDIA DESK is responsible for providing information on the Movement programs and activities through print, media and internet. It has a regular space in the local newspaper which releases an article every week giving updates on its activities or information and deepening of the spirituality of life-in-dialogue. From time to time, it responds to invitations to appear on television talk shows and on radio. It now has a weekly radio broadcast over one of the FM stations.
2. SILSILAH PUBLICATIONS is responsible for promoting the vision of dialogue in the Philippines and other countries through its publications: The first Silsilah Bulletin came out in 1985. Today it is published three times a year reaching to more than 70 countries. Other publications include books, posters, Silsilah Dialogue Forum series, Dialogue and Peace Papers, Silsilah Calendar, a "chain" calendar depicting the Gregorian and the Hijrah versions, including list and description of major Muslim and Christian celebrations and feasts.
3. MEDIA CENTER FOR DIALOGUE AND PEACE when fully operational will give the movement a stronger voice to spread its vision and mission using various forms of communication.
4. YOUTH IN MEDIA FOR DIALOGUE AND PEACE also part of the movements youth program with special focus on the Muslim or Christian youth formation to become the new agents of media for dialogue and peace.
C. SILSILAH PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (SPDS) - This program links a community or group in need of government or private agency who can respond with the particular services for them
1. KAPIHAN (Pilipino word meaning over a cup of coffee) are informal gatherings organized from time to time to discuss topics that are relevant and related to issues on dialogue and peace and bring them to the attention of the public. Thus the gatherings are held in a place accessible to the ordinary citizens. Also this aims to create a venue for wider discussion of issues affecting th community.
2. FILIPINOS OVERSEAS FOR DIALOGUE AND PEACE (FODP) This program extends assistance especially to the Processing Center of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with the influx of Filipino deportees from Malaysia. In collaboration with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Regional Office IX in Zamboanga City, it assists in the value formation of applying overseas Filipino workers (OFW) through the pre-employment orientation seminar (PEOS) with values on the Culture of Dialogue, Path to Peace integrated. The goal is to inspire and challenge the OFW to become real heroes by their willingness to be instruments of dialogue and peace in the country of their employment. The program has also started offering ounseling services in its center for legal and psychological assistance.
3. INMATES WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SPDS
Has a regular schedule in the city jail every week. In collaboration with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology of Zamboanga City Jail and the Parol and Probation Administration, both under the Department of Interior and Local Government, SPDS is able to conduct the following activities:
> Basic integrated theatre arts workshop (BITAW) training and orientation to a Culture of
Dialogue for children in conflict with the law.
>Madrasah class and orientation to a Culture of Dialogue for
Muslim women.
>Orientation to a Culture of Dialogue Seminar for Parolees and Probationers with
special focus on personal transformation.
>Talents and skills enhancement for men (peace poster making, peace poem with
choreography and original peace song composition, etc.).
>Trainers training to selected men and women in the city jail who will conduct
seminars on the culture of dialogue, path to peace to their companions.
>Formation of character and language to non-violence.
D. DIALOGUE WITH CREATION PROGRAM
The spirituality of dialogue covers four pillars of dialogue; with self, with God, with others and with the whole of creation. This program translates the fourth pillar of dialogue into concrete activities and initiatives ; the care for the earth and integrity of creation.
1. TRAINING ON SUSTAINABLE AND INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE
Upland farmers from identified communities are given training in organic and biodynamic farming. The training also includes ecological waste recycling and management, production of organic fertilizers and natural pesticide. After the training they undergo regular follow-up activities, monitoring of demonstration farms in their respective areas, and regular assessment. Requests for technical assistance from other groups and institutions on how to convert farms from chemical to organic method are responded to.
2. COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
A survey was conducted in these identified communities where the farmers cultivate the lands under stewardship arrangement. The core group farmers are given community organizing and advocacy skills. They have organized themselves into a strong farmers cooperative movement, Bayanihan del Siembradores and are running a farm school Escuela del Siembradores situated at the center and strategic place in the community, where they motivate and demonstrate to other farmers the concepts of organic and biodynamic farming which they have learned.
3. ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY
The communities are within protected watershed areas. This security has been threatened by the presence of mining companies on their exploratory expeditions. This has alerted the farmers and as a response are now active environmental advocates to assert the importance of protecting the watershed areas which provide clean water for Zamboanga City. Networking with other government, non-government, schools and institutions on environmental concerns, are done and invitations from groups to give technical or awareness sessions are responded to whenever schedule permits.
4. COLLECTION, IDENTIFICATION, PRESERVATION CONTINUING RESEARCH OF INDIGENOUS RAINFOREST AND FRUIT TREES.
This includes rice, other food crops, and medicinal and culinary herbs endemic to Zamboanga region. There is a continuing research on these indigenous plants and herbs and their contribution to health, nutrition and well being of all creatures.
5. MARKETING SUPPORT FOR FARMERS PRODUCE
A harmony store (Tienda del Harmonia) and a cooperative transportation have been set up to help the upland farmers bring their mostly organic farm products to the public market.
|
