Thoughts on my internship

By Wassim Aldrees

The first day of my internship was not a normal first day, I was taken to an event at St. James's Palace organised by the Three Faiths Forum and the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps. Ambassadors from various embassies in London, Lord Malloch-Brown and the Archbishop of Westminster were invited. Seeing so many important people in one room committed to find solutions for many of our world problems through interfaith dialogue showed me the importance of what the Three Faiths Forum is committed to do. Issues and problems were tackled and solutions from all sides were presented. This event allowed me to have conversations with ambassadors from all around the world and hear their views. It also introduced me to the dynamics of how events like these are organized and managed, and how problems that normally arise when you host such a grand event can be solved.

One the best events that I was asked to help with was in cooperation with an organization called MUJU that is dedicated to bring Muslims and Jews together through their passion for art. The event involved many interesting performers that are committed to resolving the issues and problems that both faiths face. Seeing a group called Yalla that combines Yiddish music with Muslim Hip-Hop was inspiring, and seeing Jewish and Muslim comedians laughing at their problems and making fun of each other showed how similar their situations are. They are both looking for peace, security, and happiness they just happen to have been  connected to political issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict, which created some tension between groups who got influenced by power brokers and fundamentalists who have one view of the world, and in that view, they are right and everybody else is wrong. This organization is doing the right thing with tackling these issues by showing the similarity between both groups. The artists in the event kept telling us about how when they started to talk to each other about their cultures and backgrounds, they were surprised how their cultures was so similar, how they all love Hummus, all use Yalla, all use peace as their main greeting, and so much more. I got out of that event thinking that harmony between groups will always be possible through small acts of transcendence like these.

Attending these two events, one filled with ambassadors, businessmen, and important people. The other, with “struggling” artists, students, and activists, showed me how the organization is connected from the grassroots to the top. This what makes it unique, they are able to provide the opportunity to many activists to achieve their aims by connecting them to people who have enough power, finances, connections, and experience to help them actualize their projects.

Our world needs organizations like the Three Faiths Forum in order to solve many of its problems, and achieve peaceful solutions between different groups. In the organization I was taught how to compromise, be understanding, and create an atmosphere where a peaceful agreement can be reached, I was taught how to confront prejudice, encourage harmony, and promote understanding. All skills that will benefit me for the rest of my life, and make me able to use what I am interested in doing, politics, in such a good positive way. It was a successful, incredibly educational, and life changing experience that created a path for me that will continue for the rest of my life.