Bishop Habib Al-Naufali, the Shepherd of the Diocese of Basra and the South, welcomed the participants of the “With Dialogue We Endure and Rise” camp in the city of Basra.
The camp participants held an extended discussion session in the church on the concept of dialogue in Christian thought and the mechanisms for applying it in ethnically diverse societies.
Bishop Al-Naufali, Archbishop of Basra, delivered a philosophical lecture lasting over an hour to the participants, addressing the role of science and knowledge in enhancing society’s ability to adopt dialogue as a mechanism for coexistence and acceptance of the other.
The participants then discussed their perspectives, comparing the realities of dialogue in their own cities with that of Basra, and exploring the possibilities of applying the ideas presented. The meeting also addressed the state of dialogue among religious leaders and its impact on promoting freedom of religion and belief.
Bishop Al-Naufali provided the youth with a detailed explanation of the role of young people in prioritizing the language of dialogue among followers of different religions, strengthening peacebuilding among the city’s communities, resolving conflicts, and fostering peaceful coexistence.
Afterwards, the Bishop guided his guests on a tour of the Archdiocese building and its museum, explaining the meaning and symbolism of each icon within the church.
In the church hall, artist Mohammed Al-Imara from Basra performed a hymn praising the love of Iraq, its diversity, and its deep-rooted heritage. At the request of the camp participants, the Bishop held a prayer for peace, in which the members of the camp took part.
Bishop Al-Naufali also presented the participants with samples of church publications as gifts. Meanwhile, the youth from Sinjar presented the Bishop with a stone from Mount Sinjar as a token of appreciation, symbolizing their pride in the mountain, which represents a symbol of Yazidi resilience, attachment to the land, the homeland, and identity.
Additionally, the campers presented a handmade textile piece embroidered by women from various components of Iraq, depicting Christian icons, as a keepsake from the #Citizenship_Education camp implemented by Masarat last summer.
It is worth noting that the #With_Dialogue_We_Endure_and_Rise camp is implemented by Masarat Foundation for Cultural and Media Development, in partnership with KAICIID and the House of Coexistence. The camp was launched in Baghdad with the participation of youth from Sinjar, later joined by youth from Baghdad in its first phase, and then continued to Basra, where young men and women from the city joined the team. The program will soon continue its journey across other Iraqi cities, aiming to promote dialogue as a mechanism for peacebuilding among followers of different religions and for rejecting hate speech.
