United Religions Initiative (URI) organized the Global YLP Leadership Training and Retreat 2014 in San Francisco, where I, together with around 20 other young people from all around the world, participated as an interfaith activist and leader in my community. We, as a young group, were either URI's Youth Ambassadors who delivered projects that benefited our communities or peer mentors who helped young leaders in shaping and realizing their projects or regional team members. We were also pleased to be honored in URI's Annual Circles of Light that celebrated the role of youth in URI, where four of our Youth Ambassadors shared their stories and work: Cesar Rodriguez (Dominican Republic), Lejla Hasadedic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Nyambura Mundia (Kenya), and Suchith Abeyewickreme (Sri Lanka). So many reasons to be proud and happy!
Participants of the 2014 Global YLP Leadership Training and Retreat.
During our training we shared our workshops, our projects and experiences, and, most importantly, learned from each other. The agenda for every single day was fully packed, and yet the days were passing by so quickly. For the first time I met Bishop William Swing, URI Founder, and Rev Victor Kazanjian, URI Executive Director, who shared with us the history and future of URI. I was not only inspired by their speeches and speeches of other founding members, but also thankful that I am a member of such global community.
Every day a few of us were delivering workshops on different topics such as: Interfaith Dialogue, Conflict Resolution, Meditation for Leadership, Techniques for Organizing Training, SMART Goals, Finding Your Voice as a Leader, Facilitating Interfaith Encounters, etc.
Through our sharing and reflection circles, cultural night and everyday activities, we really transitioned from a group of young leaders to a group of friends willing to work together. I cannot believe that it took us only five days to become such a coherent group and to creative positive, safe and friendly atmosphere.
On UN World Water Day, we gave our contribution to a piece of art, so called “The URI Banyan Singing Tree of Interfaith Movement”. It was a beautiful time of voluntary service and art.
The finished art piece: the young leaders with the URI Banyan Singing Tree of Interfaith Movement.
As a result of this inspiring and successful training, we came up with many ideas and plans for future cooperation and work, common activities, and what our own roles and contributions could be.
One of the most important outcomes of this gathering, for me, is the new Global Youth Ambassadors Cooperation Circle (CC) Application. We are just waiting for the approval and start with our activities. The main idea is to further develop Youth Ambassadors Program and help future leaders with their projects as well as to create a manual for Youth Ambassadors Program that would be beneficial for all past, current and future Ambassadors.
I cannot describe how happy I am that I met all these people and thankful to our Young Leaders Team - Krithika Harish, Matthew Youde, and Hannington Wako - and the URI Team who made it all happen. I am looking forward to our future work.
Vedrana with fellow Global YLP Leadership Training and Retreat participant, Kate Kiama.
Vedrana Damjanovic
Youth Ambassador for Europe 2012/13
Bosnia and Herzegovina
