Breakout Session – Cohesion 3: Youth Work Initiatives

Synopsis

This breakout session looks explicitly at the work of youth leaders in social cohesion across Asia. The way that specific approaches to connect with young people and bridge potentially divisive partitions between communities will be of particular interest. It stresses the practice of building effective youth dialogue and service movements, rather than the theories involved in reaching younger people.

Visual Summary

Speakers

Ms Arizza Ann Nocum
Founder, KRIS

Arizza Ann Nocum is the Co-Founder and President of KRIS, a non-profit organisation that utilises education as a pathway to peace in the Philippines. KRIS has built libraries and provided scholarships for young people victimised by conflict and poverty. Today, KRIS educates, empowers, and inspires young peace-builders through summits, training programmes, and offline and online information campaigns.

Ms Farahnaz Ali Ghodsinia
Peace Ambassador to the Office of the Philippine Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

Farahnaz Ali Ghodsinia was born and raised in the Philippines. Farah graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a degree in Broadcast Communications. Currently she is working to pursue her graduate studies while serving as the Peace Ambassador to the Office of the Philippine Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

Mr Shukul Raaj Kumar
Chairperson, Inter-Religious Organisation Youth Committee

Shukul Raaj Kumar is currently the Chairperson of the Inter-Religious Organisation Youth Committee. A Certified Scrum Master, he is also the Vice-Chairperson leading the Programmes team in Hindu Youth Network, that falls under the auspices of Hindu Endowment Board. He will also be doing his Masters in International Relations in August 2022 from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Nanyang Technological University.

Moderator

Mr Abbas Ali Mohamed Irshad
Founder, Roses of Peace

Abbas Ali Mohamed Irshad is tackling the issue of apathy towards religious harmony among young people in Singapore with his inter-faith nonprofit group Roses of Peace. He encourages them to engage in difficult conversations about religion, a crucial topic in multi-ethnic Singapore, and other issues they face such as the rising cost of living and the mismatch between skills and job opportunities.