INTERGENERATIONAL

FOOTPRINTS
RJ NEYRA, AKMK SECRETARY GENERAL (2010-2012)

After a long, overnight travel, I arrived at the 9th MSYPC venue just in
time to witness the election of the council and the selection of the
executive committee members. I was delighted that “King” Gahum got
re-elected to help steward the alliance for another two years. With her
age and renewed dedication, I thought she deserved another round. I
was also grateful to see some of the youth leaders whom I personally
watched create positive changes in their respective communities. But
what I found most fascinating in this election were the new faces that
would pump fresh blood to the movement.
 
New faces did not only dominate the recently-formed council. From the
participants, down to the secretariat, and even in the kitchen team. They
were everywhere!  It was sort of odd that I felt like a foreigner in a
territory I was once very familiar with. This may be the same feeling that
governed those who existed during my timeline and those before me.
But beyond it was jubilation to the very idea that the alliance, with all its
advocacies, pillars, and aspirations, is still very relevant. We, the people
from a not so distant past, are very glad to declare that peace is not a
lost cause.
 
To feel foreign perhaps signals that the process of intergenerational
continuity is alive. It means that the passing of responsibility has been
seriously accepted by the next leadership and that they made a very fine
job about it.
 
However, intergenerational continuity does not entail that the previous
generations should take on a totally passive role. It tasks us to set a
precedent to guide the current pool of peace activists as they become
the primary engineers of change. We provide a rich gamut of
experiences, victories, and painful lessons to help them understand for
instance the indestructible cycle of violence, unresolvable conflict
between personalities, the relevance of our peace framework, and how
to take it from there. But we also should be mindful not to overstep the
present decisions and processes. Intergenerational continuity encourages
us to weave the past while letting the present interlace their destiny.
 
The transformation from PeaceTa to YapaKapayapaan  is not only a shift
of terms but also marks a transition of roles. During my
generation, PeaceTa symbolised the youths’ undying commitment to
peace despite the gruesome conflict episodes we experienced. This
commitment to peace was our reason for celebration. But perhaps
commitment is a very strong word, and a very exclusive (and
demanding) one. You only commit when you know – but how about
those who don’t?
 
The concept of YapaKapayapaan is a response to this gap. It posits that
the alliance is a university of learners and not of the learned, and
therefore, everyone is welcome regardless of how fast or slow one
learns, or how willing. It does not demand strong commitment, but only
solicits that we take part…through foot prints.
Our trail is slowly fading, and it may soon be erased by the passing of
time. But there are new, energetic steps following ours.
 
So this journey to peace will go on,

Hasta la victoria.

*RJ is a staunch LGBT Rights advocate. He was a former Secretary

General of AKMK serving the alliance for 2 years (2010-2012).