The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-Philippines in partnership with the Ateneo de Zamboanga University through the Campus Ministry Office conducted a student forum, the Interfaith Campus Challenge. Among the guests from Washington, D.C. who attended the forum were Joshua DuBois, Special Assistant to U.S. President Barrack Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and USAID officers J. Mark Brinkmoeller, Director, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives of USAID and Veronica Zeithlin, Human Trafficking and Gender Adviser. Also in attendance were the students, faculty and staff of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Western Mindanao State University.
The highlights of the program were the talk of DuBois on Interfaith Campus Challenge, the sharing of the respective representatives from the two universities (ADZU & WMSU) on the Interfaith Challenges, good practices and lessons learned, the concern on human trafficking by Zeitlin and the open forum where the audience were able to verbalize their insights and concerns.
Overall, the experience made the students realize that a steadfast effort for interfaith dialogue is vital in the path towards peace and development in our city, region and country as a whole.
