Friendship for Peace through the Arts
November 26, 2022. The celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace continues today with thirty five Muslim, Christian & Subanen Youth converging at the garden of the Bishop’s House in Balangasan District to participate in the Interfaith Visual Arts Workshop. The Subanens came from as far as Nanga Nangan, Tigbao and Midsalip, the Muslims from Labangan and the UCCP and Catholics from the different parts in Pagadian City. This was the first time since the pandemic that a face to face visual arts workshop was organized by the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace (IFSP) and it turned out to be a successful event with the young people fully open and engaged in the whole day activity albeit shy and nervous in meeting new friends outside their circle.
The day began with an interfaith prayer from the Muslim, Christian and Subanen participants followed by the singing of the National Anthem and the song “Gabon sa Paghigugmaay” composed by Bishop Emeritus Emmanuel Cabajar, CSsR. The workshop proper proceeded with Ms. Saida Lapasaran introducing the resource speakers. Part I (Individual) was handled by Ms. Ernadel V. Reyes who gave an Art Lecture and Demonstration. She enumerated the Elements and the Principles that would make a beautiful work of Art before the participants went about in their Hands-on Art Session. Part II (Group Activity) was facilitated by Sr. Marjorie Guingona who began with some group dynamics for them to get to know each other. She then delved on the theme of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato SÍ on the Care for our Common Home and invited them to come up with an art work expressing how the youth can be united in planting the seeds of hope for our future. The ten mixed groups came out with original and creative outputs proving their capacity to build friendships and to work together as one despite the limited time of getting to know each another.
For the Closing Ceremony, Ms. Mirrriam Fe Esma-Jacinto gave guided questions to each group to draw out gleanings from the participants and all responded positively about the workshop. Sultan Maguid Maruhom awarded the Certificates of Participation together with Rev. Fr. Felix Tigoy who also gave the closing remark thanking the youth for their active participation. The event ended with the community singing Let There Be Peace on Earth with lighted candles and made gestures of friendship by exchanging candles with a new friend.
Grateful to the many people who made the event a successful one: Ernalyn Mae V. Infiesto, the Master of Ceremony, food sponsors from Molave parish, Most Rev. Ronald Lunas, DD and the Bishop’s House staff, the Visual Arts Committee especially Mila D. Villas, FLARE, the chairperson of the Visual Arts Workshop and Pastor Loricel Beloy-Bahia, the overall chairperson of the Mindanao Week of Peace 2022.
