MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

292
Religion and spirituality can not always be explained by rational arguments.
Hence the necessary limit to the discussions about the “why” and “why not” of
some practices. This does not mean that there is no point in discussing them; it
only means that as a facilitator you should avoid or limit attempts to challenge
religious beliefs by rational arguments (and vice versa). Respect for religious
diversity implies necessarily respect for something that we either do not understand
or should be even opposed to by our own religious norms.
The borderline between religion and culture is sometimes very thin. But it is
important not to confuse them; many practices of minority communities in the
Euro-Mediterranean region are sometimes interpreted as religious when in fact
they are not. Again, the background information in Chapter 8 may be useful.
If you have a large group and run the activity in several small groups, it is
recommended that you have also a facilitator for each sub-group. The facilitators
should be well prepared, especially in relation to their own knowledge or biases.
Variations
If you run the activity in several groups and would like to round it up together, you
may ask each group to report back on two questions:
In the Euro-Mediterranean context, do you think that ignorance and prejudices
about religions play a role in peoples’ mutual perceptions?
What can we do as youth workers, multipliers or young people to help make
true Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Ideas for action
Depending on the context where you and the participants live or work, it may be
interesting to visit a religious or community centre of a different religion and to take
up contact with their youth groups in order to discuss possible common actions.
These could include:
Common actions on Human Rights Day (10 December);
Mutual invitations on the occasion of important religious festivals/celebrations;
Joint actions in favour of the poor and needy.
Possible follow-up activities could be to create a mixed group to participate in or
prepare a Euro-Mediterranean youth project, such as a youth exchange or study visit.
Suggestions for follow-up
The activity “A mosque in Sleepyville” (in Compass online and Companion) provides
a good simulation about the rights of minority religious communities.
Further information
Chapter 8 of this T-kit on “Religion and tolerance” should provide you and the participants
with basic factual information about Baha’i, Christian, Druze, Muslim, Jewish and Yazidi
faiths. If you are likely to have also participants of other religions, it is worthwhile doing some
preliminary reading about them. In addition to using an encyclopaedia, use the Internet sites of
the United Religions Initiative (www.uri.org) and the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
(www.religioustolerance.org), which provide easy-to-use basic information about world religions.
MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work