Gathering of the (Arabic Learning and Islamic Values Education) ALIVE Teachers of DepEd(February 2, 2018)

One of the relevant initiatives done during the World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) 2018 in Zamboanga City was the Gathering of the (Arabic Learning and Islamic Values Education) ALIVE Teachers of Department of Education (DepEd). This was an initiative done in collaboration with Department of Education and Silsilah Dialogue Movement. The (Arabic learning and Islamic Values Education) ALIVE program of Department of Education is a special program for Muslim Teachers who teach every week in public schools.

We are lucky that the head of this program in the Department of Education is a committed member of Silsilah and she is Hadja Sarah Lucman Handang. Last year with the help of Silsilah Dialogue Movement she was able to take a special course in Rome, Italy. It was a scholarship

offered by the Vatican to different religions that want to know more about Christianity. The offer of the Vatican is the same that maintains relations with the Team of Amman which the Vatican created after the publication of the open letter “A Common Word between Us and You”.

The number of the ALIVE Teachers who were invited for this activity during the World Interfaith Harmony Week was almost 250. In this connection a good number of Principals of public schools participated to know more about this effort. The Silsilah sponsored this event in the spirit of Dialogue with the hope that this gathering would give to the ALIVE teachers a clear understanding of the concept of Interreligious Dialogue while they are entrusted to teach what is part of their curriculum. Silsilah, for many years, has been in the frontline of the gathering of the Madaris Guru (teachers of the Madrasah schools) “ALIVE Teachers” and Christian Catechists. But on this occasion of the World Interfaith Harmony Week the special attention was given only to the ALIVE Teachers. This activity was conducted at Astoria Hotel and it was a very intensive day of sharing to encourage the teachers to be more faithful to the effort done by the government for the teaching of Islamic Values with the hope that this teaching will spread in a more dialogical approach in society and can counteract radicalism with the presence of Madaris in different parts of Mindanao sponsored by different groups who promote radical violence.

On that occasion Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME, the convener of the World Interfaith Harmony Week and founder of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement, delivered a message to present the importance of the World Interfaith Harmony Week and the theme: “Celebrating the Transforming Powers of the Love of God and the Love of Neighbor for the Common Good” . The day was enriched with inputs and testimonies given by respected Muslim leaders from Zamboanga and other parts of the Philippines encouraging the ALIVE Teachers to be always responsible and become a sign of hope for the education of Muslim children who need positive formation in the spirit of Islam as a Religion of Peace and not as a religion of violence, as promoted by some groups in Mindanao, like in the Marawi siege by the ISIS.

We are grateful to Hadja Sarah L. Handang who put all her energy and skills to prepare this activity. Hopefully this can be multiplied in the local and national levels.

Youtube links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EThzqtHC6E