Competencies

INTRODUCTION

• Participants explore what initiatives they can take within their own faith group, as well as within interfaith communities, to actively confront hate. 

DISCUSSION 

• The wide-ranging questions found under the Discussion Questions tab should encourage a lively discussion that focuses on action. 
• Participants should consider how they can share positive messages within their own congregations (through thematic topics) as well as on a broader scale, such as through media platforms or in advertising campaigns.
• Participants should seek out resources to increase their knowledge about topics related to Commitment VII. 

One resource participants might explore is Stop Funding Hate, which supports positive advertising. (Link is also under the Resources tab.)

Another type of resource is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the Internet. In addition to traditional course materials, such as filmed lectures, readings and problem sets, MOOCs provide interactive courses with user forums to support community interactions and feedback.  Two MOOCS are listed under the Resources tab. 

CONCLUSION

• The aim of Faith for Rights is to encourage positive change within communities. Participants should commit to share what they learn with members of their own faith groups and within their local communities, where appropriate. 
• For additional practice, see Skills Brainstorm and Remedial Action Plan under the Complete List of Peer-to-Peer Activities for Module 7.

This comprehensive lists of questions may encourage participants to explore a wide-range of initiatives related to Commitment VII: 

• How can incitement to hatred be countered through religion?

• Could inter-faith joint activities be a practical answer to the vicious circle of ignorance, fear, and bias against victims of hate speech?

• What forms can such initiatives take?

• How can faith actors avoid mere public relations actions that change nothing on the ground?

• How should religious leaders react when facing a situation of incitement to hatred?

• What are the risks involved? How could these risks be mitigated?

• Which remedies work better in your context, either by public authorities or upon the initiative of civil society actors?

• Do public authorities welcome civil society initiatives in this respect?

• Could the additional faith quotes gathered through previous exercises be used in religious preaching on thematic topics involving incitement to hatred?  

• How could faith-based organizations use their leverage, for example as advertisers?

• Stop Funding Hate, videos about the effects of advertising and social media on promoting or stopping hate speech
• University of Geneva, Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) (in French)
• University of Groningen, Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

Learning Path 3, Remedial Action Plans for Faith Leaders, includes peer-to-peer activities that provide additional opportunities for participants to expand upon this Exploring activity. Participants consider specific skills and tools they can acquire (Skills Brainstorm) before creating action plans (Remedial Action Plan) to implement the tenets of Commitment VII. These activities can be found under the Complete List of Peer-to-Peer Activities for Module 7.

Additional Tips for All Peer-to-Peer Activities

• The #Faith4Rights modules are flexible and require adaptation by the facilitators before their use. Case studies related to peer-to-peer exercises in the 18 modules need to be selected by the facilitators from within the environment where the learning takes place. The #Faith4Rights toolkit is a prototype methodology that requires contextualization, based on the text of the 18 commitments, context, and additional supporting documents.
• Not all issues raised need to be resolved. This would be an impossible and even a counterproductive target. The aim is rather to enhance critical thinking and communication skills, admitting that some questions could receive many answers, depending on numerous factors.
• Tensions may occur during discussions related to “faith” and “rights.” Most of these tensions are due to human interpretations. Learning sessions are spaces for constructive dialogue in a dynamic process where tensions can be reduced with the help of clear methodologies, including pre-emptive situation analysis and evidence of positive results in areas of intersectionality between faith and rights.
• When preparing the sessions, facilitators need to factor in the profile, age, and backgrounds of participants. Focused attention on the learning objectives can transform tensions into constructive exploration of new ideas.
• Meaningful engagement requires democratically pre-established rules. Facilitators should dedicate time with participants to elaborate these rules together at the outset and act all along the training as their custodians.
• The time frames suggested in this #Faith4Rights toolkit are merely indicative. Facilitators may adapt them freely to suit the needs of their group of participants. The key balance is between respecting the overall time frame while not cutting short a positive exchange momentum.
• To ensure optimal and sustainable benefit, facilitators may create a “training notebook” for participants during their peer-to-peer learning sessions. It would contain a compilation of templates to help participants keep track of what they have learned throughout the program and eventually use this notebook as their personalized follow-up tool.
• When technically feasible, facilitators are also advised to project the module under discussion on screen in order to alternate between discussions thereon and showing the audio-visual materials listed in each module or any other items selected by the facilitator.

• “Now this is the command: Do to the doer to make him do.” (Ancient Egyptian Middle Kingdom)
• “Repay injury with justice and kindness with kindness.” (Confucius)
• “What is hateful to you, don’t do to your friend.” (Talmud, Shabat, 31,a)
• “Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.” (Buddha)
• “By self-control and by making dharma (right conduct) your main focus, treat others as you treat yourself.” (Mahābhārata)
• “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)
• “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
• “Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not.” (Baha’u’llah)