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Fr. PHILIP KURUVILLA, General Coordinator, ESHA Project, [partnering with ICCO Cooperation]

TURNING FAITH INTO AN INSTRUMENT FOR SUCCESS - EXPERIENCES FROM INDIA. Fr. PHILIP KURUVILLA, General Coordinator, ESHA Project, [partnering with ICCO Cooperation]

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Fr. PHILIP KURUVILLA, General Coordinator, ESHA Project, [partnering with ICCO Cooperation]

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  1. TURNING FAITH INTO AN INSTRUMENT FOR SUCCESS- EXPERIENCES FROM INDIA Fr. PHILIP KURUVILLA, General Coordinator, ESHA Project, [partnering with ICCO Cooperation] A project of the National Council of Churches in India, Nagpur, India

  2. 1 Billion people, 1 Billion Deities ! Lakshmi Buddha Christ Devi Krsna Ganesha Rama Murugan Saraswati Nanak

  3. WITH INDIA’SRELIGIOUS BACKGROUND- IT WAS NATURAL TO USE FAITH, FAITH LEADERS, AND FAITH COMMUNITIES

  4. Dr Suniti Solomon  and her colleagues documented the first evidence of the HIV infection in India in 1986, when she served at the Madras Medical College [Chennai, India] 

  5. Bishops of the Church led the anti-stigma campaigns

  6. AIDS WAS NO LONGER A DIRTY SECRET- IT WAS TAKEN OUT ON THE STREETS

  7. GENDER & SEXUALITY ISSUES WERE ALSO TAKEN UP BY THE CHURCH

  8. FAITH LEADERS BEGAN TO DIALOGUE WITH PLWA’S AND LGBTQ

  9. THEOLOGICAL COLLEGES AND PRIESTS STARTED HIV-TRAINING

  10. IT IS TRUE THAT TILL RECENTLY, FAITH LEADERS HAVE NOT PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE STILL GUILTY OF: 1st : DENIAL 2nd: TRIVIALISATION 3rd: JUDGEMENTALISM

  11. THE REASONS FOR THEIR RETICENCE: 1. They do not have adequate knowledge about the AIDS Virus – and they still harbour many myths and misconceptions aboutthe issues around HIV and AIDS 2. Many feel the Virus is God’s Punishment for ‘sinful’ or deviant behaviour

  12. 3. Almost 80% of HIV is spread by sexual transmission….…and Faith Leaders are not willing to talk about human sexuality from the Pulpits or from ‘spaces’ considered ‘sacred’. 4. The LGBTI community have been traditionally not welcomed by most religious leaders and their faith communities

  13. THE RESULT: TILL ABOUT 2000 –THE UN AGENCIES AND THE GOVERNMENT NEGLECTED OR UNDERESTIMATED THE POTENTIAL OF FAITH LEADERS – BECAUSE OF THEIR TRADITIONALLY NEGATIVE RESPONSE.THINGS CHANGED WHEN THEY FOUND THAT IF FAITH LEADERS COULD BE EMPOWERED, OR “WON OVER” - THEY HAD SEVERAL ADVANTAGES

  14. An HIV-friendly Faith Leader offers the following resources which is superior to what the UN, an NGO or the Govt. can give: • Greater ‘Reach’ into the Faith Community • Greater Experience • A Spiritual mandate for their work- even if it is on • taboo subject like AIDS • Increased (long-range) Sustainability • There is in-built Motivation to Serve

  15. THE SAIRC could not continue for lack of funds. But two things happened: 1. The ‘Asian Interfaith Network on AIDS’ -AINA – came into existence in Thailand in 2005 2. In India –IICA- the Interfaith Coalition on HIV and AIDS was created after 2005

  16. SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR THE FOUNDER OF THE ART OF LIVING,AND WORLD FAMOUS RELIGIOUS LEADER ,TOOK UP THE ISSUE OF HIV AND AIDS, AND OF STIGMA IN 2008 HE CONVENED THE HINDU LEADERS CAUCUS ON HIV AND AIDS : AS PART OF ‘FAITH IN ACTION’- OVER 90 SAINTS/SADHUS ATTENDED

  17. Hindu Leaders Caucus- 2008

  18. THE SECOND FAITH IN ACTION PROGRAM HELD IN ART OF LIVING –BANGALORE ASHRAM IN 2010.OVER 400 FAITH LEADERS FROM ALL FAITHS AND DENOMINATIONS ATTENDED THE 3 DAY SEMINAR ON HIV AND AIDS

  19. OTHER FAITH LEADERS AND FAITH COMMUNITIES TOOK UP THE ISSUE • THE BAHAI COMMUNITY BROUGHT OUT LITERATURE ON HIV AWARENESS. • THE JAMIA MILIA MUSLIM UNIVERSITY INVITED RELIGIOUS LEADERS • HH SWAMI CHIDANANDA SARASWATI • HELD AN HIV -TRAINING PROGRAM IN • HIS PARMARTH ASHRAM

  20. WITHIN THEIR FAITH COMMUNITY –CHURCH, MOSQUE, TEMPLE – EACH FAITH LEADER WITH RIGHT INFORMATION : • SHAPES ATTITUDES • PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE BEHAVOUR • INCREASES THEIR FAITH COMMUNITY’S KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS ON CRUCIAL ISSUES • PRIORITISES HIV and AIDS AND THE STIGMA ISSUES • CHANNELISES MUCH NEEDED FUNDS SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO EMPOWER FAITH LEADERS!

  21. EMPOWERED FAITH LEADERS AND INFORMED FAITH COMMUNITIES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TAKE HOME MESSAGE: THEY ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SOLUTION……. EMPOWER FAITH LEADERS - THEY CAN BE INSTRUMENTS FOR SUCCESS

  22. GIVE THEM A CHANCE!!

  23. Turning Faith into an instrument for success- experiences from IndiaTHANK YOU! Fr. PHILIP KURUVILLA, General Coordinator, ESHA Project, National Council of Churches in India, Nagpur, India frpkuruvilla@hotmail.com +91-9823152313

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