November 17, 2020

Leena Sherma Seth

Founder
Mending the Chasm

Dear Ms. Seth,

Good day to you.

The Communication Foundation for Asia is a registered non-stock, non-profit organization and a
pioneer in development communication based in the Philippines. We launched our 5th Peace
Camp Program last year in Mindanao, a region in the country striving for just and lasting peace.
Our efforts are centered towards young Christians, Muslims and Indigenous people in training
them to use different platforms of communication to advocate peace.

On December 4, 2020 (3PM to 6PM PhST), we will be holding an International Virtual Peace
Forum titled “VOICES: Symphonies for Peace”. Our goals for the Peace Forum are simple, but
bold: to both expose our tri-youth to ongoing peace building and conflict transformation
programs that will allow them to express their insights, and by doing so, prepare them in creating
and implementing their own peace advocacies.

In this regard, it would be our utmost privilege to have you in this forum as one of our ‘Thought
Leaders’. Your expertise in building inclusive culture will be valuable in forming an insightful and
intimate discussion with our Youth delegates.

To date we have secured commitment from the representatives of Youth4Peace (Myanmar),

Indian Social Institute (Delhi), National Peace Council (Sri Lanka), Center for Peace and Conflict
Studies (Cambodia), and several peace organizations in the Philippines.

We are proud to initiate a global forum to further the cause of peace building and conflict
transformation. We hope you will be able to accept our invitation to speak, and to join us in this
effort.
Attached is the concept brief of the peace forum and some background details of our project
“Peace Camp: Katilingban sa Kalinaw Mindanaw”. Please do not hesitate to contact us should
you have any question. We look forward to welcoming you to the Peace Forum.

Peace and blessings,

Pie Mabanta-Fenomeno
Executive Director
Communication Foundation for Asia
www.cfamedia.org
CONCEPT BRIEF
INTERNATIONAL VIRTUAL PEACE FORUM

Title
VOICES
Symphonies for Peace
Date
December 4, 2020 (Friday)
3PM – 6PM Manila Time

Theme
Transformative Dialogue with the Youth for Peace Building

Rationale
In 2019, Communication Foundation for Asia (www.cfamedia.org) launched its 5th Peace Camp Program.
This time, it was held in Mindanao involving an equal representation of the Christians, Muslims and
Indigenous People youth. The first year focused on learning each other´s similarities and differences and
training them to use different platforms of communication to advocate peace. We had to improvise and
create alternative platforms for the 2nd year because of the pandemic. This time, we guided the youth
participants on organizing themselves for community action. Eventually, they will be asked to develop
and implement a peace project for thteir respective communities.

This Virtual Peace Forum aims to both expose them to ongoing peace building and conflict transformation
programs and allow them to express their learnings and insights. The Thought Leadership framework
will serve as a mentoring activity to prepare them to create and implement their own peace advocacies.

Treatment: Fireside Chat

The forum will be presented as an informal yet structured conversation with the Thought Leaders per
topic. This treatment will allow resource speakers to be more intimate in their sharing and connect better
with the participants.

Four Movements
Following the traditional four movements of a symphony, this Peace Forum will feature the four strategic
focus of the Peace Camp program implemented in Mindanao. A 30-minute fireside chat with 2 -3 Thought
Leaders and a Youth delegate from the Peace Camp program will comprise each session. A moderator will
be assigned to lead the discusion and engage with other online participants.
Session 1:Echos
Discussion Focus: Youth Leadership
Discussion Points
a. Experience in forming youth leaders for peace related activities and conflict
transformation
b. How do young people understand peace and conflict?
c. Can young people see their roles in creating safe spaces? In what ways?
d. What is the most effective way of engaging with young people for peace efforts?

Session 2: Whispers
Discussion Focus: Faith and Spirituality
Discussion Points
a. Experience in integrating faith life with peace building efforts and conflict
transformation
b. Talk about religious extremism. How has it affected your community? Are young people
swayed into joining? Are they compeled to do something to stop it? Why or why not?
c. Can faith help minimize conflict and creating real peace?
d. How young people realize faith life transcends into efforts for peace?

Session 3:Expression
Discussion Focus : Arts, Media and Culture
Discussion Points
a. Experience in using arts and media for peace building efforts and conflict
transformation
b. How does art and self-expression facilitate dialogue? How does media become a venue
for understanding and cooperation?
c. Talk about cultural differences and how diversity can lead to unity
d. How can we guide young people to use self expressive activities for conflict
transformation and peace building?

Session 4: Chorus
Discussion Focus: Group or Community Action
Discussion Points
a. Experience in organized youth action for peace building efforts and conflict
transformation
b. Peace is not just the absence of war but the issues that become root causes of
conflict. Can a young person really contribute to conflict transformation when concerns
might be beyond their experience? In what ways?
c. How hard or easy is it to organize a group or community to be a peace advocate?
d. What skills should a young person develop to move the community to action for conflict
transformation and peace building?
Peace Camp: Katinglingban sa Kalinaw Mindanaw Highlights 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGJLSjNEMHU

Katilingban sa Kalinaw Mindanao Reechoed!

https://www.cfamedia.org/narticle13.php