By Fr. Elvis Fernandes, SFX –
Around sixty-three college students from ten different colleges across Goa came together for Yuva Sadbhav to dialogue and build solidarity with one another. Yuva Sadbhav, a two-day inter-faith programme for young people from different faiths and beliefs was held at the Pilar Pilgrim Centre, Pilar, on the 26 and 27 of March. Yuva Sadbhav is an activity of ‘Sadbhav’ – an initiative of the Society of Pilar to foster interfaith relations and communal harmony.
This programme was aimed to create interreligious awareness, overcome prejudice and build bridges towards friendship and understanding.
Sanket Yadav, one of the participants from Padre Conceicao College, Verna-Goa, said, “It has been an out of life experience”. He further said that “honestly speaking, I was reluctant to come for the Yuva Sadbhav programme, since I did not know what it had to offer. However, in a span of two days, I can say that I have become a totally different person.”
Tallulah D’Silva, the award winning architect, environmentalist and writer was one of the resource persons for Yuva Sadbhav. She facilitated a team-building activity wherein students built a geodesic dome. The dome is basically like an outdoor classroom space, a tent-like structure, that uses pentagons and hexagons. The 60-plus components of the dome included a long stick and a short stick, and the hubs. Each student took two components, that is, a long stick and a short stick, and the hubs. They gradually assembled the entire components and prepared the dome.
Astrilita Fernandes, from Ganpat Parsekar college of education, Arambol-Goa said, “It was a fantastic activity because the students had to learn how to work like a team”. Luke D’Mello of Rosary College, Navelim-Goa, said that, “they needed to know what is the composition of the dome and work patiently because the hubs were such that the pipes kept coming out.”
Madiha Shaikh of Agnel Institute of Technology and Design, Assagao-Goa, said that “this activity teaches us to be patient, to work together, to be tolerant to mistakes and builds a confidence that we can build things together”. Stephen D’Souza of Fr. Agnel College, Pilar-Goa, said that “this activity is making us think of building bridges, connecting to people and breaking barriers”. He further said that “it was an exercise which brings the community together”.
Fr. Elvis Fernandes, the convenor of Sadbhav, led the students through a group activity of sharing a positive experience that one had with persons of another religion. In this session. He asked the students to list down at least five close friends that they had since childhood and to what faith they belonged. This activity led the students to think about their conscious and unconscious choices that they make when it comes to having friends. He further asked the students to prepare a poster depicting interfaith harmony.
Ambrin Beig and Asim Shaikh, core members of Sadbhav, also facilitated a group activity wherein the students were told to discuss as to how they would tackle insults and derogatory remarks towards one’s religion in a polite and humble way without hurting the person who insulted your religion. Vandana Chandrashekar of St. Joseph Vaz College, Cortalim-Goa, said that “we need to be more understanding to the person who offended us rather than getting violent”.
Yuva Sadbhav came to a close with Sadbhav Prarthana – an interfaith prayer meeting with members from different faith communities on the theme ‘Mercy and Forgiveness’. The prayer meet was led by representatives from six different religions. They presented their reflections based on the theme ‘Mercy and Forgiveness’ Subhash Sajane, a civil engineer by profession, represented the Jain Religion. Dr. Sitakant N. Kamat Ghanekar, an oncologist, represented the Hindu Religion. Devapriyo Chakma from Arunachal Pradesh represented the Buddhist Religion. Maulana Abdul Quddus Khan, an active member of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, represented Islam
From left: Subhash Sajane (Jainism), Dr. Sitakant N. Kamat Ghanekar (Hinduism), Devapriyo Chakma (Buddhism) Maulana Abdul Quddus Khan (Islam), Fr. Cedric Prakash, SJ (Special Guest), Fr. Sebastiao Mascarenhas (Superior General of the Society of Pilar), Inderjeet Kaur (Sikhism), Fr. Menino Gonsalves (Christianity), Fr. Elvis Fernandes (Convenor, Sadbhav)
Inderjeet Kaur, a teacher by profession in Kendriya Vidyalaya INS Mandovi, represented the Sikh Religion, and Fr. Menino Gonsalves, a member of the Society of Jesus, represented the Christian religion. All of them spoke on experiencing God’s mercy and forgiveness and in turn becoming channels of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Fr. Cedric Prakash, a well-known human rights, reconciliation and peace activist, who was the special guest during Sadbhav Prarthana, inspired the gathering through his ideas and critical thinking on the present day issues related to interfaith. Fr. Sebastiao Mascarenhas, the Superior General of the Society of Pilar applauded the college students for participating in Yuva Sadbhav and celebrating their diversity. He said that this is not just a one-time event but a movement to build communal harmony and peace.
Fr. Elvis Fernandes thanked each and every person for their valuable contribution towards the organisation of Yuva Sadbhav.
Elvis Hilton Fernandes is a Catholic Priest belonging to the Society of Pilar, an indigenous religious congregation, founded in Goa. He is the convenor of SADBHAV, an endeavour for fostering interfaith relations and communal harmony. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Hindustani Music and a Master’s degree in Clinical psychology from the Nagpur University. He was awarded a PhD in Counselling Psychology (Clinical) by De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines for his research on Signature Strengths and Well-being. He conducts psycho-educational programmes and provides counselling and psychotherapy services to foster mental health and wellbeing. He is actively engaged in the print and electronic media and is the editor of “Fr. Agnel’s Call”, a monthly mission and youth magazine of the Society of Pilar.