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SGI News: Global activities for peace, education and culture

Faith and Development in Southeast Asia

Faith representatives discuss the role of faithbased organizations in development work [© SGIPR]

An SGI representative participated in a workshop on "Global Development and Institutions Inspired by Faith in Southeast Asia" from December 14-15, co-organized by the Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University, Washington DC, and the World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD), and held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The workshop, the latest in a series of six regional meetings aimed at "mapping" the involvement of faith-based organizations in development work, was attended by 20 individuals from different countries in Southeast Asia representing a wide range of organizations from Muslim, Christian and Buddhist traditions.

Participants shared insights gained and challenges faced in tackling development and humanitarian projects as faith-based organizations. They considered unique elements of such groups, such as an ability to reach the poor through an often preestablished local presence. The importance of providing unconditional assistance with no link to proselytizing was repeatedly stressed, as was the need to move away from institutional solutions such as the setting up of orphanages. The particular challenges to their operations caused by current levels of suspicion toward Muslim humanitarian organizations was a recurrent theme.

The need for dialogue and coordination among religious groups, with a focus on strengthening interfaith action for social justice, was discussed. Specific areas considered during the workshop included conflict resolution and issues relating to the needs and rights of children.

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