By Matters India Reporter
Pilar, Sept 1, 2022: The Society of Pilar has conducted a unique interfaith program designed for teenagers.
Around 60 twelfth grade girl students of Arts, Commerce and Science from the Guardian Angel Higher Secondary School, participated in the August 29-30 program titled “Seeds of Sadbhav” held at the Pilar Pilgrim Centre in Pilar, the headquarters of the indigenous congregation situated some 10 km east of Panaji, the capital of Goa state.
The program is an activity of Sadbhav, an initiative of the Society of Pilar to foster interfaith relations and communal harmony.
The basic interfaith program for teenagers focuses on building teenagers’ strengths and enabling them to flourish in life, says Sadbhav convener Pilar Father Elvis Fernandes.
Based on the handbook of Character Strengths and Virtues by Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson, the sessions were designed to enable the youngsters to know and foster their character strengths. Strengthening interfaith harmony, appreciating diversity, building interfaith relationships were the underlying themes of the sessions, he added.
Father Fernandes led the participants to identify their top strengths through an activity called “You at your best.” The participants had to write a story about a time when they functioned at their best.
They then had to share these stories with their members of the group. The group members had to spot the strengths of one another as manifested in the story. These observations regarding the strengths were later shared with the individual members who came to know about their strengths.
Tallulah D’Silva, the award winning architect, environmentalist and writer was also a resource person for the program. She spoke to them on women’s rights and empowerment and helped them foster their character strengths of bravery, teamwork and creativity.
Father George Nandiyala infused energy into the participants through his ice-breaking and sing-song activities.
Kimberly, one of the participants, said “Father George’s singing and games session was nice, entertaining and refreshing. It taught us how to work as a team.”
Father Peter D’Souza, another facilitator, led the students in fostering their strengths of spirituality and appreciation of beauty and excellence. He introduced a few basic methods of growing in awareness and meditation.
Simran Banu, another participant, said that the session on meditation was the most helpful. “It made me grow in awareness of myself,” she added.
Elaine Coelho and Rehanabanu Bankapur, participants of a similar program conducted early for college students of Nirmala Institute of Education, Althinho, facilitated a session on fostering teamwork, fairness and leadership. They used an activity of creating a mandala by putting together designs created by individuals’ students.