Young people explore how they can become “practitioners of peace” at Ontario regional youth conference

During a conference held at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., 700 young people gathered to share experiences, study, and plan for the summer months and beyond.

Over 700 youth aged 15-25 gathered over the weekend of June 29-30 in Waterloo, Ont. for a conference that served to galvanize them for a summer of intense activity and widen the circle of friends engaging in the community-building process.

Youth participants, who came from 92 communities across Ontario, ranged from those within walking distance of the conference venue to a group who travelled from Thunder Bay, Ont. 15 hours by bus. The environment of the conference was so full of energy it was described as “electric”. Parents dropping off their youth didn’t want to leave due to the vibrancy of the gathering and some even decided to stay and volunteer. In fact, over 160 friends volunteered during the conference to allow these youth to meet.

During the conference, participants explored how they can become “practitioners of peace” through an educational process that uplifts the spiritual condition of communities and empowers individuals to rise above the challenging circumstances of their lives.

Whether relatively new or with a lot of experience, all were able to contribute to the conversation and learn from one another. What became clear was that rather than the period of youth being a time of diversions or frivolity, young people can contribute to the transformation of the places where they live. This hope for a better future was anchored in the collective experience that this is possible.

Shidan, a 15-year-old youth from Kipps Lane, a neighbourhood in London, Ont. with many Nepali families, shared the fruits of a process initiated over 10 years ago: “In the past, people in my community were separated by caste, religion and economic status. But through the empowerment and spiritual education of the younger generation, we’ve allowed families from different groups of people to come together to have the same conversation about the future of our community.”

He continued: “When I think about working toward peace, I see it already in the celebrations we hold at the [neighbourhood] centre, or the dance group that started and recently had its first anniversary, or the devotional gatherings that draws all of us from seemingly different backgrounds to see our inherent oneness.”

A great source of motivation for these youth are the signs of transformation they see in themselves and those around them. A significant area of service the youth engage in is to assist those younger than themselves, with many serving as children’s class teachers and junior youth animators. Speaking about the children in her class, Preeti, a 16-year-old from Eglington East, in Toronto, said, “You see them progress. They’re becoming more open, more social, more talkative. They have more ideas. They’re raising their hands more. I feel so proud. I had a hand in that. It’s such a big thing. I’m actually making a difference.”

Reflecting further on the theme of motivation, Ken, a 19-year-old youth from Scarborough, Ont. shared: “Youth come and ask us why we do this, why we help the community, why we help them and what value we get out of it. What I tell them is that the value you are thinking of is monetary value. You’re thinking about how I can help myself…if I get anything out of it. The value that us animators are thinking of is spiritual value.”

The conference also served as a space for an array of artistic expressions, including cultural dance, visual arts, poetry and song. These expressions highlighted the diversity and strength of the region and moved the hearts and minds of those present. Many of these expressions were inspired by the youth’s study of the institute materials. A group from Toronto, Ont. even composed a song during the conference itself.

The youth discussed their plans for the summer months, when many will offer a period of service, participate in institute campaigns and organize camps for junior youth and children. Collectively, the 700 youth at the conference identified over 23,000 people who they are connected to who could be invited to join this movement. When asked what message they would give to young people, David, a 15-year-old from Sudbury, Ont. commented, “You can do things now; you don’t have to wait until you’re older.”

A gathering of this scale would not have been possible without a surge of support from both Bahá’í institutions, who organized the conference, and the community, including many parents. Fundraisers were held to cover the cost of the conference and friends donated sacrificially to this effort. In some instances, local organizations and businesses with a shared concern for young people also donated funds, meals and other provisions for the conference. This show of confidence in the capacity of young people was a source of great encouragement to the youth participants.

The plans this group of youth made are now well underway and are bound to have far-reaching effects. Livia, a 19-year-old from Stratford shared: “I can’t wait to see what this conference is going to bring for the future.”

Photos were taken by Lubna Aghazadeh, Romin Aghazadeh, Michel Dallaire, Esther Maloney, Mehrnoosh Montenegro Quintanilla, and Bennet Naylor.