The ecumenical meetings are most of the times theme meetings where youth meet in order to form a common perspective about a certain issue. But where's the feed-back? What do youth take back home with them? We are here by giving the proper place to a feed-back in the form of a letter to all Habitus friends of such a young participant, Madalina Craciun, to the study session “Overcoming Islamophobia - promoting inter-religious dialogue and co-operation”, organized by Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe (EYCE) and Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO). The event was hosted by the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, from 19th to 26th March 2006.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Mădălina Crăciun, I am 22 years old and I am from Romania. I’m a sympathisant of the organization Habitus Youth – member of EYCE – and I had the privilege to participate to the study session “Overcoming Islamophobia - promoting inter-religious dialogue and co-operation”, organized by Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe (EYCE) and Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO). The event was hosted by the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, from 19th to 26th March 2006. There were 28 young people from different countries all over Europe (but also from Russia and Palestine), different cultures and religions (different Christian denominations and Muslims) gathered to dialogue, to cooperate and to discuss this important issue in order to find practical solutions to act against it. One of the main aims was to learn as much as possible and receive training, aim that was accomplished more than 100%, because the knowledge gave us the solutions. I must say that everyone who came there was an open-minded person, ready to communicate about their national, personal and religious situation and also ready to understand the others’ backgrounds.

What is to say about this week? So many things…I would need tens of pages just to explain black on white all the activities – home groups, discussion groups (about seven or eight everyday), games (like “One Step Forward” which makes you feel how a discriminated person might feel - the “game” consisted in being each one of us a different person, with a different social status and to try to take a step forward in the society), the common values flower, the solutions’ tree, the panels covered with a lot of presentations of the European islamophobic situation, the Press workshop (we created a front page), the workshop of stereotypes, prejudices and intolerance (we analyzed some photos just from the negative stereotypical point of view and we tried to find the causes and the solutions), the Questions and Answers session (one of the most educative sessions where we just asked in plenary, Christians to Muslims and vice-versa, about religious dogmas, practices, situations and we found answers from regular people that live those thong in their daily life), the International Banquet (where I ate some tasty food), European Cultural Evening (where I discovered “live” songs, dance, customs, pictures, clothes) and of course the greatest experience – creating an interreligious calendar for 2007 (talking, finding, writing and posting on the same pages all the important feasts for Muslims and all Christians denominations): we were split in several groups and each of us created such a calendar, different from the other from the visual point of view.

Both the formal and informal methods used helped us to open discussions about the situation of islamophobia present in our countries in mass media and in the everyday life. I must say that I learnt so much in these days! Now I feel more aware of what is going on in other countries around Europe and the rest of the world. Just talking face to face to some individuals that confess to you encountering so many problems only because they are Muslims, you’re overwhelmed – it’s one thing to read in the newspapers or to listen to the TV and it’s something else, completely different experience, to speak with those persons discriminated.

The denominational prayers helped me learn more about the other religions, while during the Ecumenical ones I saw and felt that people who had different beliefs can discover so many ways to work and to express well together. Working with people of different denominations was new for me and it helped me grow both on an educational and spiritual level. I had the chance to assist to the Muslims prayer, in the room arranged specially for all the prayers, but also in the mosque. There was a really new and gorgeous experience that I advice you all too!

We all – Christians and Muslims - succeeded to live together, to discuss in a peaceful and respectful atmosphere, to stay at the same table to eat, to play and to joke, to dance and to sing. If we could, everybody can in this world – to get to know the other, to talk about all kind off issues in a peaceful atmosphere, to respect and to tolerate, because the diversity (religious, social or cultural one) is a great and unexplored yet source of richness!

I really feel the need to act upon these issues in every way that I can, that what I learnt and apprehended in this study session should not just remain there in my mind – but that I will try to share this knowledge with others.

I need to take some space here to personally thank all those who helped in making this week one of the best weeks of my life. There's no way I can explain the joy and fulfillness this experience brought to me, the friends I made and the things I learnt, I feel so enriched with knowledge! It was a great pleasure and most of all an honor to meet such wonderful people (participants and of course the team members that are great people) that believe in God and make wonderful things everyday.

Thank you for everything,
Take care and God bless you!
Mădălina Crăciun

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