MAKING POSITIVE USE OF THE MULTIFACETED RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL SOCIETY: THE CHALLENGES OF THE INTER-CULTURAL AND INTER-RELIGIOUS YOUTH IN WEST AFRICA

 

INTRODUCTION 

The Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue programme for the youth in West Africa was organised by Pax Romana Alumni Ghana in collaboration with the International and Pan African Offices of ICMICA, IMCS Africa and IMCS Ghana from 30th August to 3rd September 2007 in Kumasi , Ghana .

The overall objective of the programme was to bring the youth from various religious, political and cultural background together to sensitize them on Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, a key to a united African Society.

The programme brought together the youth from the Ghana Muslim Students Association, Ahemadiyah Muslims, the Hindus Community, the Baha’i Faith, other Christians and Muslims, the Afrikania Missions (Traditional Religion), the National Democratic Congress, Convention Peoples Party, and the Peoples National Convention. These groups were carefully chosen from some of the countries in West Africa, namely Ghana , Togo , Benin , Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire . It was also graced by the presence of our international and regional team members from ICMICA and IMCS. A month before the actual programme, a preparatory programme on interreligious and intercultural dialogue was organized for leaders of IMCS Ghana which serves as the basis of formation of Pax Romana Alumni Ghana (ICMICA Ghana) during a national Consultative meeting.

At the beginning of the programme, there was much contemplation on how to involve a prayer session in the programme which will not be so disturbing to religious groups gathered at the function. Unanimously, participants even proposed that they would like to know how each religion engaged in prayer so the room was created to involve this idea. Also at the beginning of the programme, all delegates were made to submit their motivational letters (what motivated them to be part of the Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue Project)

During the opening ceremony of the programme, participants were enlightened about the purpose of this programme and also made aware of the rules of embarking on an interreligious and intercultural dialogue especially in Africa  

 

The programme was well attended by very respectable resource persons in Ghana . Most of them stayed a day or two longer after their various inputs. This was a great source of encouragement to the delegates.

The leaders of the Catholic Youth in Ghana , the Secretary General of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), the Chaplain for Pax Alumni Ghana and the leadership of the various religious bodies present welcomed this noble idea of the programme for the youth in Ghana through a presentation during the opening of the programme.  Also the representatives of the various countries present also talked about the country specific situation of how religious groups interact and share ideas in their respective countries.

The entire idea of this project not only for Pax Romana in Ghana but in the world was conceived by the international office and so Budi Tjahjono- the international project coordinator of ICMICA Pax Romana touched on the broader view of the purpose and the entire objective of the interreligious and intercultural dialogue as the global plan of the movement.

INPUTS

The sessions especially the opening ceremony was chaired by a renowned professor and Director of the National Commission on Culture --Prof. Sir. George Hagan. Enlightened inputs were given by highly qualified resource persons. There was also time for the participants to brainstorm on issues affecting the youth of our respective countries.

The inputs for the sessions were delivered accordingly as follows:

§         Panel discussion:  The youth; the agents of peace promotion

Political youth leaders:

Convention People’s Party (CPP)

National Democratic Congress (NDC)

People’s National Convention (PNC)

EXPOSURE PROGRAMMES

To make the programme a reality programme, the participants were given the chance to be actively involved in the exposure programme of the project. The central Mosque of the Ashanti Region of Ghana was visited. The environment of this very activity was really encouraging as we went with our Muslim participants; the other participants from other religious bodies observed the prayer session of the Muslim Community. Luckily, the delegates also had the chance of observing the activities undertaken to bid farewell to a dead member of the Muslim community before the deceased is sent to for burial. The elders and the Chief Imam of the central Mosque as well as the Imams of the Ashanti Region gathered to welcome the group. The Deputy Imam of the Mosque addressed the delegates expressing his joy over the organization of the programme. Participants were allowed to ask questions pertaining to the misconception of some of the code of belief of the religion. The delegates then had an interactive session with the youth of the Mosque after the official visit.  

The exposure programme also included the guided visit to the Minor St. Peter’s Basilica of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi. Delegates were taught the basic canon of the Catholic Church and Christianity as a whole. The use of sacramentals and certain edifices by the church was explained to participants.

 

The Hindu Monastery in Kumasi ( Krishna Temple ) was also visited. The leadership of the Monastery had gathered to welcome the group together with the youth of the community. Again, the system of belief was explained to members present. A love feast was organized for the delegates. This involved refreshment for the delegates’ whiles they interacted with the community.

 

Last but not the least for the exposure sessions, the group visited the Manhyia Palace Museum .  This was a move to be exposed to the cultural set up of Ghana in other to have a complete exposure knowing the major religions in Ghana that is Christianity, Islam and African Traditional Religion. The exposure centered on the history of the Ashanti , some of the beliefs in Ghana and the Ashanti Kingdom .

The exposure programmes also created a forum for participants to freely ask questions they have been yearning to ask in their life time but never had such opportunity to ask.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

In order to ensure the totality of the formation programme of this Interreligious and intercultural dialogue, other activities were encouraged. The participants engaged in braining storming sessions during the evenings to further dilate  on issues presented to them by the experts as well as what they observed during the exposure sessions.

 

 Personal and group reflections also took place in order to evaluate the various activities.

 

The programme was structured in a way that every individual religious group was given the opportunity to have time to communicate with “His God”; especially the programme was structured in a way that the prayer time(s) of the Muslim group was factored into the programme.

 

A period was also allocated to explain the golden rule of all religions to the delegates. The poster of the golden rule was also pasted in the conference hall as a reference guide to participants.

 

Workshops were organized with workshop reports presented according to the language set up of the programme. That is, we had the Francophone and the Anglophone workshop groups.

 

Moderation of the various sessions was shared among the religious bodies in other to have an equitable share of involvement in the entire programme. 

The accommodation arrangement was structured in a way that promoted a positive informal interaction after the official sessions.

The meals were also prepared taking into consideration religious sensitivity.

A resolution and plan of action was produced at the end of the programme. This has been disseminated to all the groups that were present and absent including all the participants. This has also been made ready to be sent to the religious and political youth leaders in the various countries present for future actions. A copy of the resolution has been attached to the official report. The final programme evaluation was conducted during the official closing ceremony of the programme.

In a nutshell, the programme is a very good start for people to be aware of the essence of interreligious and intercultural dialogue in this global village that we live in.

Aaron Fenu, Pan African Coordinator