Liverpool Hope University hosted a Global Youth Congress entitled ‘The Big Hope’ from 4 – 11 June, 2008. It was attended by 600 young people from 55 countries.
At the Opening of the Congress, Professor Gerald Pillay, the Vice-Chancellor said, 'Many of you are considered to be your communities’ future leaders. So what is The Big Hope? All the strands will consider three questions: how we develop a humane global society; how may we ensure that there is integrity in public life; and what can the individual do? Some of the speakers you may not have heard of, but they are here because they made an indelible impression on their communities.'
Among the keynote speakers were: The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese; the former President of India, Dr Abdul Kalam; The Executive Director of the Fair Trade Foundation, Harriett Lamb; The Chief Rabbi, Dr Jonathan Sachs; The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster; Archbishop John Sentamu; Dr Abduljalil Sajid, Chair of the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony UK.
At the Closing Session of the Congress The Liverpool Declaration on Leading Change in Our Times was read out. It had been signed by the delegates. In its preamble it said among other things, ‘We recognize that the transformation of society is not the work of the powerful few. Nor is it the work of one continent or generation. Therefore, we are committed to stirring up in others a hope for society in which every individual is empowered to participate, and in which every individual takes responsibility for his or her neighbour.’
Articles of commitment that follow highlight ‘To change the world, we begin by changing ourselves.’
Some of the speakers were there on the suggestion of Initiatives of Change. They spoke at a discussion forum sponsored by Initiatives of Change entitled ‘Faith Relationships Across the World’. Among those who shared their experience were Sushobha Barve, a founder and Executive Secretary of the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation, New Delhi, who has particularly focused on reconciliation and peace-building work in relation to Kashmir; Niketu Iralu, the convener of the Naga Hoho Coordination Committee and Trustee of the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research, initiating conflict resolution initiatives in relations between Nagaland and India; Ramez Salamé from Lebanon, a Human Rights Lawyer, who has done similar courageous work of trust-building and reconciliation throughout the years of conflict and tension in his country and region. Also speaking with them was Bishop Mano Rumalsha of Peshawar, Pakistan. Another significant presentation in the workshop was made by Imam Ashafa and Pastor Wuye, Joint Directors of the Inter-Faith Mediation Centre in Kaduna, Nigeria. They both took part in and suffered during the inter-religious violence in northern Nigeria leading militia groups fighting and seeking to kill each other, but now work together to build peace and reconciliation.
In the Closing Address to The Big Hope Congress, the Dean of Liverpool Cathedral, The Very Revd Justin Welby, spoke of Imam Ashafa and Pastor Wuye, whom he had worked with in Nigeria and Kenya when he was there in connection with Coventry Cathedral’s Peace Centre. He related how the Imam and Pastor had ‘worked together to transform an area of despair to an area of hope and development’. The Dean went on to say, ‘Hope is born of God, practiced in courage – not mere thinkers of hope, but practitioners, building communities of hope.’
Diana Damsa, a young delegate from Romania who works with IofC, shares her impressions of the conference: 'What an amazing feeling to be together for a week in the middle of 600 other young and enthusiastic people, who wanted to learn and share their hope for a more humane global society. We were all impressed by the range of the keynote speakers: former and current presidents, different religious leaders (from chief rabbis to imams and cardinals), baronesses, renowned human rights advocates, professors and people from the academic world - all people who humbly but powerfully shared from their experiences and the wisdom accumulated along the road. They also gave us the challenge to take responsibility and be prepared to take the leadership for creating the future we dream of. But I was equally impressed by the quality of the delegates – young people who already have impressive stories to share in chats over the meals or late in the evenings. The choice of forums and workshops was so wide and interesting that it gave us a hard time deciding which one to join. And then everyone was eagerly asking what happened at those we couldn’t join – what have we missed! It was indeed hope giving to see that there are so many people around the world who are really seeking solutions for a more just society and are ready and willing to participate and to play a role in creating it. I appreciated very much the opportunity to share my passion for the work I do with Initiatives of Change and what this organization has to contribute towards the hopes expressed during the week. It was a great comfort to find so many people of my age interested in our work and willing to find out more and connect with our programmes and us. Apart from friendships and great inspiration, an important outcome of this week was the commitment of participants to bringing change in society beginning with the change in ourselves, commitment pinned in The Liverpool Declaration on Leading Change in Our Times and the aim to meet again in 2018 ‘to review this declaration and to assess what we who have had this time together shall have accomplished by then.’ A big thank you to those in IofC UK who enabled me to be part of this great experience.'
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