The initial gathering was held last June 19, 2009 when Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME invited some friends to the Poveda School located at the heart of the Ortigas Commercial Complex. After sharing the joyful celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Silsilah Dialogue Movement last May 9, 2009, the concept of an Inter Faith Dialogue Forum in Metro Manila was presented.
Who will be invited to this forum? They will be friends, and friends of friends who are interested, involved, and committed to dialogue and peace activities in Metro Manila. Preferably, they are persons with some experience in the field of interfaith dialogue and peace building efforts, willing to commit some time for come together : to SHARE experiences; THINK/REFLECT on those experiences; EXPERIENCE LIFE-IN-DIALOGUE; PRAY together and sustain each other’s commitment.
Last July 31, fresh from his visit to Italy, Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra met with the group once more at the same venue. There were thirteen who came, grateful that such a forum is an answer to their desire to just come together with people of similar longing for dialogue and peace, and be able to share experiences and pray for one another. “Sharing is a healing process, we must be grounded on experience, and we need to pray together in order to be enriched.”
The group decided that they would meet again on AUGUST 29, Saturday at 2:00 in the afternoon at the Bahay Ugnayan Community, Good Shepherd Convent at 1043 Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City. Sr. Marion F. Chipeco, RGS will take care of the venue. Each one will be encouraged to invite a friend or friends in consultation with the appointed “elders”:
Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, Sr. Lilian Curaming, Fr. Rocco, Marites Africa, Ann Basman, Fr. Caloy Reyes, and Sr. Marion Chipeco.
The Inter Faith Dialogue Forum (IFDF) in Metro Manila is a new effort for dialogue and peace that has found support from the major leaders committed to Inter Faith Dialogue and Peace who are from different groups and institutions of Metro Manila. The new members of the IFDF will be accepted and be welcomed upon the approval of the “elders”; others can be invited as guests.
One of the first challenges for the new IFDF is the coming-up of a big activity of the NON- ALIGNED MOVEMENT (NAM) that will be hosted by the Philippine Government on Dec. 1-3, 2009 in PICC, Manila with the participation of other national and international groups and organizations invited for this event. The IFDF is committed to come up with a reflection in a form of a message to share to the delegates some important concerns of IFDF during this event. The new IFDF Metro Manila moves in the spirit of unity and hope for a better and deeper understanding of the Inter Faith mission as an experience to live and as a hope to share.