Global Collaborations
WSCF at the Conference of the World Council of Religious Leaders on Faith and Diplomacy
Generations in Dialogue
The World Student Christian Federation participated in the “Conference of the World Council of Religious Leaders on Faith and Diplomacy: Generations in Dialogue”, of Religions for Peace International and Ring for Peace with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office, held in Lindau, Germany, from October 4th to 7th, 2021. This Conference aimed to engage different generations in dialogue on the nexus of Diplomacy and Religions with regards to Environmental concerns, Humanitarianism, and Peace and Security.
Marcelo Leites, WSCF General Secretary, and Prof. Dr. Azza Karam, General Secretary of Religions for Peace in the Ring for Peace CeremonyThe Federation was represented by Marcelo Leites, WSCF General Secretary, and ex-member of the Religions for Peace International Youth Committee. Marcelo, in an interview made during the conference, shared the work on justice, advocacy and capacity building of the WSCF and the Federation’s commitment to interfaith and intergenerational dialogue. Some of his main inputs were:
- “The best way to express our struggles towards a path of justice is between generations. It is no longer possible to have two different lines, one related to senior leaders working in a more hierarchical way and, on the other hand, the youth department working on other things. Young people must be part of the decision-making process. Their voices can give a very fresh view of the world that we are facing.
- We are living in a world that has failed young people on the vision towards the future. Fundamentalist movements are growing, as well as anti-covid discourses, hate speech, anti-vaccine speech and anti-science theories. Young people find “hope” in these discourses, which are not true. Religious young people should address these topics in a very creative way.
- Religions can outreach millions of people, we can change minds. We can come to people and deliver a transformative message. Not a message of blaming and guilt. We have to overcome those kinds of messages. We need to realize that people need hope in a world that is suffering”.
This conference reaffirms our historic commitment to Interfaith and Intergenerational Dialogue. Natia Tsintsadze, Regional Secretary of WSCF Europe and Global Program Director on Interfaith Dialogue of WSCF Global shares the Federation’s perspective on building a just and peaceful future:
“Building a just and peaceful future is only possible through engaging with the next generation. Young people play a crucial role in creating and ensuring sustainable development in all spares of our life. It is our youth leaders who develop innovative, brave and bold solutions to social cohesion that bring positive changes. Intergenerational dialogue is the potential that should be explored, embraced and encouraged at all levels and in all aspects. It is only through a meaningful and sustainable inter-generational collaboration that humanity and our planet can be truly healed and saved for the generations to come”.
