Participants: 63
Religions Represented: 7
Nations Represented: 14
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Duration: May 1 - 10, 2005
Thailand—The Thailand RYS education program was designed to train participants to become future leaders. Based on the theme “Modeling the Ideals of a World Peace,” the activities focused on team building, conflict resolution, increased awareness and appreciation of interaction styles. Participants also gained understanding and appreciation of different faiths and learned interpersonal or listening skills to help facilitate greater harmony.
Participants woke up at 4:00 in the morning for devotions, had breakfast at 5:00 and arrived at the work site before 6:00. Educational programs scheduled later in the day included visits to the Buddhist Temple and Museum and the Mosque. The project members took great interest, asking many questions of the religious leaders and elders. Each day also concluded with devotional readings. Each day a representative from each different faith read some passage from their faith tradition.
The participants were divided into three work groups: building a school clinic, painting the new school library, and cleaning up garbage brought to the seashore by the tsunami. The RYS youth, school children and some members of the local community worked very hard to finish the school clinic. Working hours were moved from 6:00-10:00 A.M. instead of 8:00-12:00 noon because of the hot weather. From 10:00-11:00 A.M. the participants went swimming at the nearby beach, just a few meters away from the work site.