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The Foundation for the emergence of the Nigeria Interreligious and Interfaith Youth Council was laid at the International Christian Youth conference on Peace Building, organized by the African Christian Youths Development Forum (ACYDF), in collaboration with project Hope-Nigeria from 28th-30th April 2005, at the Zainab Hotel, Jos-Nigeria. The theme of the conference was: “The Role of Christian Youths in Promoting a Culture of Peace in Africa”. The 35 participants at the conference included representatives of seven Non-Governmental Organizations within Nigeria and the United States of America (USA). Together, we agreed at this conference, to create a platform for Interfaith dialogue and Youth service in Nigeria, to enhance awareness and understanding of each other’s activities in the context of our diverse, pluralistic faith traditions, and to initiate the process of promoting our cherished “unity in diversity”.
The choice of the platform was not difficult as participants clearly identified the imperative at the heart of their vision and mission, and thus the “Nigeria Interreligious and Interfaith Youth Council” was born, Engr. Emmanuel Ande of the ACYDF and Danjuma Garba of the Centre for Leadership Development were thus mandated to fashion at modalities for the official take off of the Council as well as to convene and host the inaugural general meeting of the Council in June 2005, where young people, representing the different faith groups in Nigeria would come to review and renew the process and reaffirm their total unwavering support and commitment to the Interfaith Youths initiative in Nigeria. The dream is now beginning to take shape.
Our Vision and Mission
The Nigeria Interreligious and Interfaith Youth Council is committed to providing peaceful and constructive solutions to difficult situations by giving hope to humanity through nourishment and enrichment of our own faith traditions and the consequent inspiration to actions that support and strengthen those most in need. Our goal is to promote peaceful co-existence in Nigeria, and by extension, Africa through the healing process of repentance, dialogue, forgiveness and reconciliation.
The essence of the Interreligious and Interfaith Youth Council is interfaith dialogue, cooperation, and positive social action. Members will be encouraged to deliberately engage in peaceful dialogue and constructive service with others who may have radically different and sometimes, opposing religious, cultural and political views. Membership of the council will be made up of liberals and conservatives as well as diverse religious representation from mainline faith traditions in Nigeria to the smallest sects.
OUR GUIDING PHILOSOPHY:
We believe that religion and young people are very powerful instruments in promoting global peace, social harmony, friendship and lasting partnership, if properly harnessed. Religion has the capacity of facilitating the attainment of appropriate standards of excellence, motivating and equipping a compassionate response and influencing decision - makers at various strata of society, to become effective and powerful voices for the promotion and sustenance of peace and social justice. The youths are creative agents for social change, transformation and renewal. When properly educated, well informed, mobilized and engaged, the youths can initiate actions that would bring about unprecedented societal growth and development.
The Nigeria Interreligious and Interfaith Youth Council is therefore committed to informing, educating uniting, equipping and mobilizing Nigerian Youths, regardless of their beliefs, especially within the context of family and community helping them to become responsible and active agents for social transformation and renewal, by the provision of clear service opportunities that honour and appreciate their gifts and abilities.
Without compromising our religious and cultural values, we are committed to developing partnerships with the government, NGO, FBOs, and CSOs in improving the quality of life, by challenging and changing the rules and practices that generate public and social mistrust and conflict of all ramifications.
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Online Contact
To join and participate, please contact us at:
Email:iifycnigeria@yahoo.com
Phone:234:08027456608
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