About the Faith Forum

Interfaith Youth Alliance invites all high school students to participate at the 17th Annual Faith Forum and Festival.

All high school (9th-12th grade) students are invited to come and join with 150 other high school students from various faith traditions and backgrounds. The purpose of the Faith Forum is to bring together young people from diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds to engage in dialogue. True dialogue is a conversation on a common subject between two or more persons of differing points of views and/or backgrounds. We feel that this commitment to dialogue will affect relationships in a constructive way in our places of worship and in our community.

Schedule

12:00-1:00 pm | Registration, Jain Center tour, henna, musical lessons, Saree tying

1:00-1:30 pm | Opening presentation

1:30-2:00 pm | Ice Breaker (30 minutes)

• How do you feel you incorporate religion into your everyday life?

2:00-2:15 pm | Break (15 minutes) + Snacks

• Performance1
• Performance 2

2:15- 3:00 pm | Bloc 1 (45 min) What are your stories?

• How do physical objects and outward signs of your religion stem from religious stories and lessons? What is the reason or story behind your religion’s most famous/well-known sign?
• Do you wear (clothing or jewelry) anything that you hold as an external extension of your faith? Is it common for other members of your community to do so as well? and why, ofc :)?
• How has the architecture, structure, or vibe of your house of worship stem from religious values? Are there any stories that influence the way your house of worship is maintained?
• Are modern-day festivals/holidays/celebrations the result of stories in your religion, and what are those stories’ significance?

3:00- 3:15 pm | Break (15 minutes) + Snacks

• Performance 3
• Performance 4

3:15-4:00 pm | Bloc 2 (45 minutes) What have you learned from stories?

• What is the first story you remember learning about your religious or cultural traditions? What did you learn from this story? Why has it resonated with you?
• What are some origin stories of your tradition? 
• What are some stories about your faith that have been passed down in your family?
• After hearing from other people, what are some similarities that you all have noticed?

4:00-4:15 pm | Break (15 minutes)

• Performance 5
• Performance 6

4:15-5:00 pm | Block 3 (45 min) When have you used these stories?

• What are the stories that you want to share with someone who doesn’t know about your tradition? Or someone who has heard misinformation about your tradition? 
• How do religious stories influence your values?
• When have you used these stories to help you make decisions?

5:00-6:00 pm | Dinner + Dessert + Closing Presentation and thank yous