Enhancing Education with Inter-religious Coooperation

Delia Javanasundara
March 24, 2010
Religious Youth Service-Thailand

Chachoengsao, Thailand - A Religious Youth Service project May 6-16 in eastern Thailand offers an opportunity to meet people from the different religious communities in Thailand and work together with them to renovate a primary school and plant trees.

Participants will have a chance to visit and experience the worship and spiritual traditions of a variety of religions and to hear from the teachers of those religions. Buddhism, with its various branches, is the religion of the vast majority of Thai people. Relatively smaller numbers of Thais practice other religions, such as Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. Chachoengsao Province is east of Bangkok near the sea. Its history dates back to the Ayutthaya period (1351 to 1767), when traders came to the Siamese kingdom from China, Vietnam, India, Japan, and Persia. It is a major religious center and the site of Luangpho Phuttha Sothon, a sacred image of Buddha.

The province has fertile agriculture land, with its many varieties of mangoes being the most popular fruit. The fields are irrigated by the Bang Pakong River, and most of the population lives along its banks and canals.

Religious Youth Service's service-learning program focuses on the values and ideals needed to become a peacemaker and encourages participants to work towards a personal action plan for implementing those ideals. Those who successfully complete the training will receive a certificate of appointment as a Young Ambassador for Peace.

Each country's participants are encouraged to prepare a presentation for the cultural night and closing ceremony, bringing costumes and musical instruments. Participants will join in a celebration of the International Day of Families on May 15.

Youth and staff will stay at a Police Academy's dormitory, a ten-minute drive from the work site, and will be taking most of their meals there.

Participants are expected to come mostly from the Asian nations; however, people from other regions are welcomed as well. Everyone is responsible to cover the costs of his or her travel to and from Thailand. The registration fee is US$150 (2,000 baht for Thai participants). All expenses while in Thailand, including travel, accommodations, and meals will be covered by Religious Youth Service.

For more information, visit www.religiousyouthservice.org or contact Delia Javanasundara.