The Forum for Intercultural Dialogue at the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS) continues its community-based efforts to promote the values of citizenship and peace in Minya Governorate through the “Promoting Citizenship Values and Practices” program.
The program has empowered 142 Muslim and Christian women from the villages of Beni Mahdi, Al-Amoudain, Al-Ismailia, Taha Al-Gabal, and Saft Al-Laban, supporting them to become active partners in building peace and strengthening the values of citizenship within their communities.
The program included storytelling circles that provided women with a safe space to express their views, share their stories and experiences, and discuss the key challenges facing their communities and ways to address them. Participants also took part in interactive sessions exploring the concepts of citizenship, acceptance of others, and the importance of instilling these values in younger generations.
Recognizing art as a language that brings people together, the women participated in artistic and heritage-based activities that reflected the values of diversity and the beauty of difference. Threads, colors, and different materials came together to create harmonious works that demonstrated how diversity can become a source of strength and beauty while preserving each person’s individual identity and uniqueness.
The impact of the program extended beyond the sessions and into the wider community through a door-to-door initiative. The women successfully delivered messages of peace, citizenship, and coexistence to more than 200 Muslim and Christian families, while also sharing the knowledge and values they had gained with their own families, neighbors, and wider social circles.
The experience highlights the vital role women can play in driving positive change and building peace within their communities, as well as their ability to promote the values of citizenship, tolerance, and coexistence from one home to another and from one generation to the next.
