Religious Organizations Unite for 11th Interfaith Youth Peace Camp

To deepen understanding and respect for different faiths and beliefs, more than 200 youth and young single adults gathered for the annual Interfaith Youth Peace Camp at Phillip’s Sanctuary in Antipolo, Rizal, on February 1, 2025.

The 11th Interfaith Youth Peace Camp, organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in collaboration with Uniharmony Partners Manila and Religions for Peace Philippines, was held in observance of the 2025 World Interfaith Harmony Week— a United Nations initiative promoting dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation among different religious traditions worldwide.

Religious organizations that participated in the event included The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Resilient and Harmonious Maranao Association Youth (RAHMA Youth), Imam Council of the Philippines, Charismatic Episcopal Church (CEC) - Cathedral of the King, Holy Apostles Senior Seminary, Immaculate Heart of Mary College, Fo Guang Shan/Guang Ming College, Focolare Movement, Our Lady of Fatima Parish Commission on Youth, Our Lady of Grace Parish Commission on Youth, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines – Paradahan.

To streamline registration and maximize participation, attendees initially gathered at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse on Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City, for the opening exercises.

Rev. Fr. Carlos Reyes, Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs for the Archdiocese of Manila, welcomed the participants and emphasized the significance of stepping outside one’s comfort zone to understand diverse faith traditions.

“Unity does not mean uniformity, but mutual respect and harmony require a sincere heart,” Fr. Reyes said.

Representing the Church, President Bernabe Magsino, president of the Quezon City South Stake (diocese), shared that all of God’s children, regardless of their beliefs, are expected to love and care for one another as part of a shared spiritual heritage.

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“I believe that as children of our Father in Heaven, we are all brothers and sisters. We have one Father in Heaven who loves us very much, and as His children, we must love one another,” President Magsino said.

At Phillip’s Sanctuary, participants were divided into groups and engaged in various team-building activities designed to strengthen cooperation, trust, and resilience. The challenges encouraged them to work together to overcome physical and mental obstacles in a spirit of friendship and unity.

"It showed us that even though we have different religions and cultures, as long as we are willing to help one another, we can achieve our common goal," said Ciann Marc, a seminarian from the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary.

As part of the camp's interfaith dialogue, the youth had the opportunity to share their beliefs, listen to others, and engage in meaningful discussions. They were able to ask questions, clarify misconceptions, and explain unique religious traditions— all without intervention from adult leaders or clergy.

"The good thing about this Interfaith Camp is that it helps young people become more open-minded and welcoming to the beliefs of others without judgment. We encourage all youth to share their faith with others so that more people, especially other young individuals, can learn about different religions," said Hakima Mandia from RAHMA Youth.

"Many people say, 'religion divides people.' But this camp has proven that it doesn’t. We truly felt unity because we all serve one God," said Zarabelle Torres from the Charismatic Episcopal Church.

Rev. Alvaro Senturias Jr. of UCCP Paradahan thanked the organizers and expressed gratitude for the invaluable experience his group’s youth had at the event.

"Our sincerest thanks for a camp well done! The Interfaith Peace Camp is truly wonderful. Our participants enjoyed it and learned so much. All of them expressed their desire to connect with other campers even after the event," he said.