Religious Youth Service
UPF chapters organize Religious Youth Service projects that offer service-learning opportunities with a special focus on developing personal leadership and peacemaking skills. Through living together and providing altruistic service in a community, participants demonstrate that it is possible for our global human family to come together in peace for our mutual well being.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: Religious Youth Service-Sri Lanka
Jaffna, Sri Lanka - After the 26-year Sri Lanka civil war ended in May 2009, much work remains to settle displaced people and help resume normal peacetime life. Religious Youth Service organized a project to help repair a pre-school building December 11-17 on the northern tip of the island as part of a national rebuilding effort.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: Religious Youth Service - Malaysia
Banting, Malaysia - Under the theme ‘1 Community for Peace Service,’ a small town 55 km from Kuala Lumpur was the venue for the Multicultural Youth Service project December 4-11, 2010. Forty youths from all over Malaysia plus two from Thailand and Singapore came together for a period of eight days for the Religious Youth Service experience.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: Religious Youth Service-Malaysia
Since 1993, Religious Youth Service has been facilitating understanding and cooperation among Malaysia's people of Malay, Indian and Chinese origin. Here is a sampling of reports of projects through 2010.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: Religious Youth Service-Jamaica
Kingston & Portland, Jamaica - Members of the Jamaican Religious Youth Service club joined youth from the US Nov. 1-22, 2010, in Kingston and Portland to give schools a facelift, take part in a campaign to prevent dengue, visit places of worship and participate in interfaith dialogue.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: RYS-Nepal
Pokhara, Nepal - About 30 dynamic youth representing different faiths attended this year’s project at the Tibetan Buddhist monastery of Ven. Kalsang Lama, one of the most revered spiritual leaders in Nepal. Service activities included painting the wall around the peace prayer wheel, and digging out an area for the wall around the monastery.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: RYS-Nepal
Pokhara, Nepal - About 30 dynamic youths representing different faiths attended a Religious Youth Service project in Pokhara September 24 to October 1. Representatives came from the Buddhist, Baha’i, and Jain religions.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: RYS-India
Chennai, India - The Universal Peace Federation and Religious Youth Service, in association with the Federation of Gandhian Institutions, commemorated the International Day of Peace in Chennai, India on September 21, 2010. Interreligious prayers for world peace, nonviolence and ceasefire, and a candlelight vigil marked this occasion.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: John Gehring, Sports for Peace
The following interactive learning exercises can be used as part of Sports for Peace programs.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: Ana M. Cobiella-Olson, RYS Educational Advisor
Cache Cache Douge, Haiti - Expressing a vision emerging from the rubble of the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti, several NGOs, including Religious Youth Service, offered a joy-filled, educationally creative, character building memorable week to Haitian girls in an encampment near Port-au-Prince Aug. 19-29.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: John Gehring, Religious Youth Service
Castries, St. Lucia - A Religious Youth Service project is taking place August 7 to 17 in the verdant Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia, noted for its green mountains, white sand beaches, and friendly residents. RYS volunteers are staying in fishing village in Anse-la-Raye just ten miles from the capital city of Castries.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: Ms. Georgia Pearson, RYS Project Director - St. Lucia
Anse la Raye, St. Lucia - International volunteers joined with 14 St. Lucians Aug. 7-17, 2010, in a Friendship Americas project that included rebuilding homes of senior citizens.
- Religious Youth Service
- Written by: UPF - Hong Kong and Macau
Religious Youth Service Director John Gehring visited Hong Kong and Macau after the May 7-16, 2010 project in Thailand and met with students, religious leaders, and peace activists to explore avenues of interest in Religious Youth Service programs.