ICF Evaluation and Planning Workshop

Last Updated (Friday, 12 May 2017 12:24)

ICF Evaluation and Planning Workshop held in YMCA of Singapore

With a view to evaluating ICF activities for the past thirteen years, reviewing the process of transformation of the youths as grassroots initiatives towards peace activism, as well as exploring the possibilities to expand and deepen the scope of the inter-faith peace education programs, an Interfaith-Cooperation Forum (ICF) Evaluation & Planning Workshops held on 19 – 22 April at the YMCA of Singapore. Four Resource Persons – Dr. Jung Ji-seok and Ms. Moon Ayoung from APAY, and Dr. Joshep A. Manickam and Mr. S. Lont Mun from Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) were invited to give fresh ideas and suggestions for the next phase of the project starting from January 2018. Dr. Mathews George, General Secretary, Dr. Reynaldo R. Ty, Executive Secretary from CCA and Mr. Nam Boo Won, General Secretary of APAY, were also present, together with Mr. Max Ediger, ICF Coordinator. Both Dr. George and Mr. Nam facilitated the workshop.

Participants spent three days together to evaluate the achievement so far as well as discuss and reflect on the future direction and thrust of ICF. An overview of ICF up to date was presented by Nam, followed by discussions centered on the evaluation of the project from various perspectives. A self-evaluative reflection on School of Peace was presented by Max, ICF Coordinator, followed by questions and answers by the participants. Thereafter, further focused discussions took place to draw a strategic direction and core components of the next phase of ICF with a view to reaching an originally set objective of “creating an inter-religious regional justpeace movement” in Asia. In this, diverse inputs and program suggestions were given from the resource persons. This led to a collective brainstorming for next phase program development taking into consideration the continuation of the current programs.

A new proposal, based on the outcome of the workshop, will be drafted by Mr. Duncan Chowdhurry, Executive Secretary for Programs, APAY and circulated to all the participants for their final inputs before finalization. At this juncture, we are particularly grateful to Max Ediger for his long and steadfast devotion to ICF work for the past 14 years. And we hope and pray that ICF will continue to serve meaningfully and relevantly in building peace with justice in Asia, particularly in the communities where inter-religious tension and conflict arise. APAY is specially thankful to YMCA of Singapore for their generous offer of the hotel facilities and hosting a dinner for the participants.