Prof. Lilian J. Sison, PhD, Assoc. Prof. Pablito Baybado, Jr. PhD, and Mr. Renz Christian Argao, MA attended the聽Religions for Peace鈥�s听10th聽World Assembly Asia Regional Consultation held in Yangon, Myanmar on March 4 to 7, 2019. The consultation brought together approximately 90 senior religious leaders, women of faith, and youth leaders form聽Religions for Peace听(搁fP) National Chapters and pan-Asian institutions.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Sison served as a Speaker on 鈥淏est Practices in Empowering Women.鈥� In her speech during the Opening Session, Sison emphasized the importance of empowering women and youth. She noted that 鈥渨e recognize that women and young people have the potential for positive action and advocacy work, impelled by a strong desire to participate in political and civic system that charts their common future. What we, the members of the Religions for Peace community, need to do is to help unleash that potential and provide the environment for creative participation.鈥�
Baybado served as moderator of the session on Best Practices in Multi-religious Action. He highlighted how sharing of best practices can help enable common actions towards caring for our common future through protecting the Earth, empowering women, and advancing positive peace. He said that 鈥淚nter-religious dialogue allows individuals and communities of different faiths to come together to address the challenges that we face. By working together and building bridges, we foster a world that recognizes and respects our differences, creating a harmonious society for the good of our shared humanity.鈥�
Argao conducted a workshop on the Role of Religious Communities on Protecting the Earth. He reminded the delegates that 鈥減rotecting the Earth is a religious obligation. We are called as people of faith to act on our moral and ethical responsibility to protect the environment and all creation.鈥� He also tackled other issues connected to climate change such as intergenerational rights, just transition and climate justice, indigenous peoples鈥� knowledge, and human rights issues.
Sison, Baybado, and Argao hold key positions in聽Religions for Peace聽Asia. Sison, Director of International Relations and Programs of UST, is the Secretary-General of RfP Philippines, Chair of the Asia Women of Faith Network, and Co-President of RfP Asia. Baybado, an associate professor in the聽Institute of Religion, is the Deputy Secretary General of RfP Philippines and Associate Secretary General of RfP Asia. Meanwhile Argao, an instructor of the聽College of Science鈥荣听Department of Psychology, is the Youth Coordinator of RfP Philippines and Core Member of the Asia and the Pacific Interfaith Youth Network.
Religions for Peace, the world鈥檚 largest and most diverse multi-faith coalition, advances common action among religious communities for peace. RfP鈥檚 10th聽World Assembly will be held in Lindau, Germany in August 2019 under the theme 鈥淐aring for our Common Future: Advancing Shared Well-being.鈥�
