3rd Unesco Youth Peace Ambassador Training Workshop. Sounds fancy? Yes, that’s what I thought too but that did not stop me from going in half-expecting it to be another workshop where people ‘talk’, with my head is more occupied with char kuey teow and nasi kandar I wanted to eat in Penang (which I didn’t) rather than the objective of this workshop – to build/promote peace. It is only after we sat down in Auditorium 2 of USM’s Eureka building did we realize the significance of the workshop.
I could go into details of the events, but that would make me lose the focus of this story – not to talk about my experience, but to share what I have learnt from the experience. As I write this, listening to Michael Hedges’ Aerial Boundaries, I reflect upon the learning curve that I had got on – the experience was a lot about stepping out of my comfort zone and the realization that optimism is not a dying belief. During the workshop, I found myself speaking in front of literally a hundred people – something I never thought I’d do. As someone whose public speaking skills is comparable to a stuttering otter, I was surprised to find myself standing up with a microphone without sounding like a blubbering idiot. I guess all it took was a little push, a little more encouragement, a little more courage and ‘aal iz well’. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone is a daunting thought, but it is necessary step to be taken in order to achieve your dreams. Otherwise, you will find yourself stuck in a rut wondering ‘what if’. It doesn’t have to be one big giant leap, everyone works at a different pace – it could be something as simple as saying hello to your neighbour. Remember to never ever shove the microphone into your friend's face in the middle of a presentation though, that's just mean. ;)
As a student of International Relations, there is a very real danger of falling into the trap of being ‘jaded’ as you look deeper into the world’s systems and conflicts. It is very tempting to take yourself off the internet and watch Spongebob all day long. The 3rd Unesco Youth Peace Ambassador Training Workshop was a refreshing experience. The inspirational stories shared by fellow peers about the success of their previous/on-going projects - from a success story of managing gangsterism in Sierra Leone, to peers barely out of school handling own NGOs - rekindled the spark that led me to the path of my degree. It reassured me that optimism is not a dying belief; that peace is possible as long as there are people willing to work for it.
In the 4-day program, we engaged in group activities that would help us form partnership and ideas for our action plan. But most importantly, we formed friendships that was based on our mutual idealistic belief in peace. (Nothing breaks the ice quicker than making a fool of yourself during cultural night ;)) Some bonds takes years to form, while others, like this one, only take a short few days or hours to last forever. Such foundation for friendships I believe, would last for a long time if not forever.
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