The formation of Silsilah Forum in different areas allows Silsilah members, alumni and their friends to reflect and share their experience of dialogue.
This is the space given to the members to ground them with lived realities of others to face issues and support each other in dialogical spirit. Hence the readiness to collaborate and support each other’s spiritual readiness in engaging for the peace journey. This great achievement becomes a great responsibility, convinced that for Silsilah, dialogue is not a strategy but a spirituality that is needed in moving together towards peace.
Thus, the Silsilah Forum in each area works in collaboration with other groups and institutions. As for the Silsilah Forum-Marawi, Mindanao State University had been very supportive in the conduct of its different activities such as, the Basic Orientation Seminar and Workshop on Culture of Dialogue given to the mentors, coordinators and facilitators of Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) last January 28-30, 2011 at the Magoong, in Linamon, Lanao del Norte.
The Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) is a program which takes over the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) training when the latter was made optional with the passage of a law in Congress called “National Service Training Program Act of 2001,” (RA #9163). CWTS refers to programs and activities contributory to the general welfare and the betterment of life for the members of the community or the advancement of its facilities, especially those devoted to improving health, education, environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation and morals of citizenry.
The other hand, Silsilah Forum-Marawi was formally launched in June 30, 2009. The forum has the responsibility to sustain initiatives of dialogue and peace to attain reconciliation and has to strengthen the spirituality of life-in-dialogue among the Silsilah Forum members, starting with the core group members.
With the other Forums in different places in the country, Silsilah Forum-Marawi developed a Formation Team that conducts formation sessions on Culture of Dialogue, Path to Peace. Thus the Forum facilitates in giving the lecture and creatively managing the workshops. Mrs. Aminah Mambuhay, coordinator of Silsilah Forum-Cagayan de Oro was invited as a resource speaker on the topic Spirituality of Life-in-Dialogue. Participants were also given a comprehensive background about Silsilah and its programs. Along with the lectures, interactive discussion, group sharing and there was a lively discussion on the basic essential concepts and the importance of the pillars of dialogue (God, Self, others and creation) to which one of the participants said, “I am amazed and overwhelmed that Muslims and Christians can meet and live peacefully together in one place, in unity and thus, I salute Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME who initiated Silsilah as a dialogue movement”.
At the end of the 3-day activity, participants were able to articulate some of their recommendations and reflections:
· As to the content, it is so timely being given but there is a need to be understood it deeper particularly in the personal level
· The dialogue context as the emphasis to build harmonious relationship and understanding difference with people of other living faith is very stimulating, quite novel
· There is an urgent concern to also organize the same activity to other sectors in the community, specifically among the government officials, military and the youth.
Another participant was struck in one of the line in the Silsilah Documentary Film entitled, Silsilah for God’s Peace, “Our reaction to violence must not also be violence”, as he was reminded that each one of us has the responsibility of his/her own action and must use dialogue not as strategy for peace but as spirituality to achieve peace. This reflection from one of the participant is truly an evidence of hope that Silsilah will continue the effort of promoting dialogue and peace and together as one family.