Second Edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum (EPF)

• Date: 06 July 2023 - 14 July 2023
• Location : Geneva, Switzerland

The Muslim Council of Elders held the Second Edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum (EPF) at the Ecumenical Institute at Château de Bossey in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 6 to 14, 2023, in partnership with the World Council of Churches and the Rose Castle Foundation. It brought together 50 young men and women from around the world, aged 18 to 32.

The program had four main goals, along with several secondary objectives:

1. Enhancing participants' skills and abilities in reconciliation:
• Developing participants’ understanding of the causes of polarization, conflict, reconciliation, and peace.
• Cultivating systematic behaviors that enable participants to better understand and handle differences, express varying viewpoints, and accept them with respect.
• Explaining the ‘12 Habits of a Reconciler’, particularly both the Principles of Curiosity and Hospitality.
• Providing a safe environment for participants to practice the skills they have learned and engage in constructive dialogue.
2. Increasing participants' religious and cultural awareness:
• Boosting participants' confidence in their own religious and cultural beliefs and opinions.
• Improving understanding and acceptance of others' perspectives.
• Enhancing confidence in interfaith and intercultural dialogue by breaking down stereotypes about the ‘other’.
3. Building lasting friendships among participants:
• Encouraging participants to form strong and lasting friendships despite their religious and cultural differences.
• Through these friendships, participants foster genuine, deep relationships based on mutual understanding, acceptance, and respect.
4. Establishing a wide-reaching alumni network:
• Providing ongoing support for members of this network, enabling them to collaborate on interfaith and peacebuilding projects, as well as reconciliation efforts, around the world.

Program Outcomes:

1. Participants strengthened their skills and opportunities—as social media users and influencers—to foster reconciliation, promote interfaith peace, and positively influence others in the contexts of social division and conflict.
2. Alumni from the first and second editions of the EPF collaborated on projects after the program was concluded.

For more information about the EPF, please visit the forum’s official website.