The Story of SOP 2017

“PERHAPS YOU AND I WERE PLACED IN THE WORLD  FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.” Imagine we are in the park with our friends, talking, having fun and we see a beggar coming to us. He is smelly, dirty and keeps groaning. At that time, we tend to have some reactions to him. First, of course we feel annoyed, then we tell him go away. Second, if he is still there, we give him some money, or nicer, we buy him some food or drinks, we continue our own talking. The rude person may choose the rude way to let him go. Another one may just keep silent, try to be busy. Anyways, these are the common reactions. How about try thinking a bit differently?   When you keep silent, you try to bear and put up with him. It’s TOLERANCE . Tolerance is such a good step, because at least, we respect the beggar. But obviously, tolerance doesn’t usually last. It’s not enough and we all have our own limit. So we try to accept him. We can not change the fact that he’s a beggar and he’s annoyi...

WHAT WE LEARN AT THE BEGINNING Have you ever thought about who you are? Have you ever consider about your own identity? Knowing ourselves is so important a first step for each of us to move and understand one another, and try to think in a new different way. In SOP 2017, we- participants come from 10 countries with different culture, religions and ways of life. We see things in different perspectives and of course, conflicts can happen easily. Therefore, the very first session we learn is about Culture, Diversity and Multiple Identity- a good start to open to window of understanding. So what is Culture? Culture to us is like the colour sunglasses, and how you see the world in your own way is also same as how you wear a pair of sunglasses to look at everything. The color of sunglasses is constantly changing. And a person may have many sunglasses. The way you understand the world around reflects yourself as well as your culture. We are not born with culture. It’s taught to u...

THIRD POST FOR BLOG OPENING CEREMONY AND PRAY FOR MARAWI On 20 th July we held the Opening Ceremony for School of Peace 2017. The cosy ceremony were in Omah Petroek where we together learn and live during 3 months. Even though the couples previous days were a little tiring for us, we also prepared well for performances, praying, dramas, dancing and decoration as well. It was drizzling a bit, however the guests came earler than we expected. We lighted all the candles put inside the colorful lanterns. The song “Imagine” started was the moment we lighted our own candles one by one, formed a line by country’s alphabets. We went down to light the candle in the peace tree, sparkling and hopeful. We talked to the guests and dancing with them. Many traditional dancing from Timor Leste, Indonesia, Cmbodia, Myanmar… Terima kasih for joining the ceremony. And hope we can do better in the next time. We took some photos and sang “Pray for the Peace” for the v...

Omah Ptroek Days II We are wake up in Omah Petroek, Jogjakarta right now. Some of the participants are still jet-leg because this is the first time that some of them are doing a long trip far from their homeland. Max, Lioni, Small, Elli and Ade just give all of us one days for take some rest. When the night come we ahad been doing the fisrt things that new people did it was introduce our self to each others. After that movie time but it's not Korean Movie. It's Kirikuru movie, the movie that told us to care, respect and more listen to each others. Omah Petroek - Jogjakarta Chapel Jesus Sleep - Omah Ptroek, Jogja Day III The first things that we are doing in this morning of days two is doing the reflection prayer. What the things that we are discuss on the morning prayer about the water of life. How the water create life, how the water important for us, and why we are should stand for the river of life. Morning reflection it's likely try to take alo...

Now let's begin our journey with a short introduction about ICF. "The inspiration for ICF grew put of an interfaith meeting at Medan, Indonesia in 2003.The first activities of the movements were initiated in 2004 when 2 workshops were held to help ICF continue searching for the best role it could play in the Asian regions. The School of Peace soon became the nucleus off the movement and was designed to bring together up to 20 young people from different countries and faiths to spend 14 weeks immersed in interfaith relationship and dialogue. We wish to give special thank to the CCA and the APAY for their support and encouragement during these ten momentous years. ICF continues for to be much impressed with the committed and dynamic alumni of the SOP who are caring our very challenging work in their own community while also helping give direction to the development and growth of the ICF on the regional level."  - Max Ediger, Coordinator ICF. ICF logo We had the ver...