Mensen met een Missie is dedicated to fostering peace and understanding through its innovative program, the Interfaith Experience (IFE). This transformative initiative is designed to break down barriers between different religious groups and build a community of bridge-builders committed to interfaith cooperation. 

What is the Interfaith Experience? 
The goal of the Interfaith Experience is to foster understanding and peace by building bridges between different religious groups. It aims to break down walls of prejudice and misunderstanding that can lead to conflict and isolation, by encouraging participants from various faith backgrounds to engage in open dialogue and cooperative activities.  

The program utilizes experiential learning, focusing not on the transfer of textual knowledge but on personal and shared experiences, emotions, and life stories. It is rooted in the principles of Experience Design, which emphasizes the transformative power of shared, participative, and personal interactions. It helps participants develop personal insights and communal relationships that promote mutual respect and appreciation across diverse cultural and religious landscapes. This enhances their capacity to work together on community projects and initiatives, ultimately contributing to more cohesive and peaceful societies. 

Why is the Interfaith Experience Important? 
In today’s world, where religious differences often lead to conflict and division, the IFE offers a space where individuals from various faith backgrounds come together to learn from and about each other. By promoting understanding and respect, the program helps to dissolve the misconceptions and prejudices that frequently divide communities. This approach has proven effective in fostering peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among diverse religious groups. 

Key Aspects of the Interfaith Experience 

The Interfaith Experience is a unique educational journey that takes approximately six months, starting with an intensive five-day interfaith workshop. Key aspects of the experience are: 

• Personal Reflection and Connection: Participants engage in deep personal reflection and share their experiences, which helps them to confront and overcome their own prejudices and misconceptions. 
• Community Building: The experience equips participants with the tools and skills to become interfaith bridge-builders in their own communities, encouraging initiatives that promote peace and understanding. 
• Professional Facilitation: Experienced facilitators from Mensen met een Missie, in collaboration with local facilitators, ensure a respectful and safe environment for all participants, allowing them to explore sensitive issues openly and honestly. 
• Sustainable Impact: Following the initial learning experience, participants receive ongoing support through mentoring, coaching, and follow-up meetings, ensuring that the insights and skills gained are applied and sustained over time. 

The initial multi-day workshop includes a series of carefully designed activities that promote personal reflection, community engagement, and interfaith dialogue: 

• Trust Building – Activities include personal introductions where participants share stories about their faith in a non-judgmental space.  
• Exploring Beliefs – Participants engage in discussions and exercises that explore their personal beliefs and how these shape their interactions with people of other faiths. This includes the ‘Vision Quest’, a reflective practice that encourages deep introspection about one’s values and beliefs. 
• Overcoming Prejudice – Through role-plays and facilitated discussions, participants address common stereotypes and misconceptions about each other’s religions, aiming to identify and overcome prejudice. 
• Community Building – Participants plan a community project that involves all faith groups, demonstrating the practical application of their learnings to foster interfaith cooperation. They are encouraged to implement this plan in their own communities in the months following the workshop. 
• Reflection and Celebration – The final day focuses on reflection and planning for future interfaith activities, ensuring that participants are ready to apply what they’ve learned in their communities. 

The initial multi-day intensive is just the beginning of a six-month trajectory. After the workshop, participants enter a phase of implementing the learnings and plans in their communities. During these months they will be mentored by the facilitators and there are regular check-ins with and between participants. This extended period allows participants to deeply integrate the experiences and teachings from the IFE into their daily lives and community practices. 

Impact and Results 
The results of the Interfaith Experience have been profound. Participants have initiated dialogues in their communities, addressed discriminatory practices, and worked together across religious lines to tackle common challenges. From creating national women’s desks in religious courts to fostering youth forums for conflict resolution, the impact is tangible and far-reaching. Participants like Shamsa from Kenya highlight the program’s impact: “It was an eye-opener for me as a Muslim woman. The non-violent methods allowed for a free and non-judgmental atmosphere, which is what helped me the most.” 

The program has been successfully run in countries like Kenya, India, and Uganda, with documented results available from a comprehensive impact research study conducted during the IFE in Uganda in 2023. Through its continued commitment to the Interfaith Experience, Mensen met een Missie is creating a global network of peacebuilders who are equipped with the tools and understanding necessary to foster lasting peace and unity in their communities.