Signups for CAS end tomorrow at midnight, but I filled out mine a few days ago – though I was not sure about IFP. I had a hard time imagining what the members were doing at the meetings, and how they were working towards their goals. Today I went to my first Initiative For Peace conference and I am certainly sure it will not be my last.
The bus driving us to Dover campus left at 08:00, so we had to get up early, and we did not get back till 5:20, so it was a long day, full of exciting sessions and people. There were four different sessions:
- The Model UWC’er
- Tolerance
- Healthy debate
- The IFP/UWC statement
To me, the second and third sessions were the most intriguing ones. In ‘Tolerance’ we were discussing different statements, their level of tolerance, and how much tolerance is too much. If you are too tolerant, will you just let things pass by, and not make any kind of difference in this world? This created some really good reflections about how everything needs to be balanced, and it helped me realise, how much small words like ‘should not’ and ‘cannot’ can change the whole meaning and intention of a sentence.
The healthy debate session made me reconnect with a side of myself I had forgotten about. I was aware that I like to debate, but it was something I have not given much thought the past, but the session made me realise how much I enjoy making other people question their own ideas and perspectives. The activities here were focused on explaining a point of view, both our own and a character’s, and trying to back it up with good arguments and convince the other parties. I believe this sparked so much joy in me because of the debates and their topics – it was really inspiring to get to know myself better and to see how engaged I get, when I am doing something linked to my passions.
It was indeed a long day, and I am very tired by now, but it was definitely worth it. I am looking forward to more conferences and meetings containing debates and developing my ability to understand people living in less privileged situations more. It is going to be a challenging, but moving year.
I’m really pleased to see that you’ve had a positive experience of IfP.
As you correctly state, it is really hard to envision what a conference can really look like. The good news is that you (and your fellow IfPers) get to shape the conferences that you will run. It is therefore crucial that you bring your positivity to the experience but also the critical / reflective eye that you have already shown in this post.