In August, four young people of different faiths will embark on a world tour to uncover some of the best interfaith practices. They will return after a year and will give an account of their time at the next Normandy World Peace Forum.
In 2009, while Operation Cast Lead was launched in the Gaza Strip, clashes occurred between two pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrations in the Gare du Nord district of Paris. The local church, synagogue and mosque called for a collective prayer meeting to ease tensions. After this prayer meeting, Samuel Grzybowski, a 16-year-old Christian decided to create Coexister: a group for interfaith dialogue among young people. Today, it has 2,500 members in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom. The term “interfaith” has been replaced by the principle of “interbeliefs”.
« Building a society through our differences »
“Coexister brings together believers and non-believers, humanists, atheists and agnostics,” explains Floraine Jullian, an active member of the association. “We have different beliefs and opinions; social cohesion is built on these differences, not in spite of them.” On 1 August, Floraine will leave Paris to travel to Kiev, the first stop on an 8-month world tour of five continents, in search of interfaith and interbelief initiatives. This Jewish student, who studies political science in Toulouse, will go on this “Interfaith Tour” with three other young people: Adele who’s agnostic, Abderrahim who’s Muslim and Vincent who’s Catholic.
Muslim students rebuild a church
With their bags on their back and cameras in their hands, they will meet individuals and groups who work for peace in 25 countries, identifying and documenting the most inspiring projects. Floraine cites a “Ghanaian pastor who brings together beliefs on the issues of the environment and resource management.” She also mentions “the Muslim students in Lebanon who rebuilt a church which was destroyed by the civil war to encourage the Christian community to return to the area.” Born to a Catholic father and a Jewish mother, Floraine is convinced that “we must first learn to understand one another to be able to end conflicts and to maintain peace.” On their return from their world tour in April 2020, these four young people will share their message in schools and will give an account of their adventures at the Normandy World Peace Forum.
The Coexister association can be found in the Normandy World Peace Forum village.
