Digital4Peace Foundation, led by Maruf Chebueraheng, is a CivicTech organization committed to leveraging media, technology, and innovation to foster inclusive peace and sustainable development in Thailand’s conflict-affected southern provinces.

Supported by the AWG Small Grants 2024, Digital4Peace initiated the Cultivating Peace Project from July to October 2024, aiming to empower youth through interfaith dialogue and media literacy training. The project convened representatives from various organizations in Deep South Thailand, including faith-based institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), academia, and policymakers. 13 individuals from key organizations participated in pre-workshop meetings and online consultations, establishing a strong foundation for the project’s goals. Key partners include: IBHAP Foundation, COFACT Thailand, The Buddhist Network for Peace (B4P), Christian Association of Pattani. and Religions for Peace, Inter-religious Council of Thailand (RfP-IRC Thailand).

On October 5, 2024, the Cultivating Peace youth interfaith dialogue event drew 55 participants from the region’s three main religious communities: Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian. The event focused on fostering dialogue, enhancing media literacy, and empowering youth as peace agents. Noteworthy attendees included Mr. Sanan Sontimuang, the Deputy Governor of Pattani, who expressed governmental support for the initiative and future cooperation between state authorities and civil society in promoting interfaith understanding. This collaborative spirit between state authorities and project stakeholders is crucial for creating a sustainable impact and fostering a more cohesive approach to addressing the peacebuilding challenges in the region.

Media coverage from government outlets like The Government Public Relations Department (PRD), the National News Bureau of Thailand (NBT CONNEXT), NBT YALA, and NBT Songkhla amplified the project’s message of interfaith harmony and reached a wider audience, raising widespread awareness about the importance of interfaith dialogue and peacebuilding in Deep South Thailand.

The day kicked off with an ice-breaking session, followed by a panel discussion, “Faith in Conversation: Building Interreligious Bridges in a Digital World,” featuring interfaith leaders who discussed religion’s role in peace and countering information disorder. A practical workshop on media literacy and fact-checking, conducted in collaboration with COFACT Thailand, equipped participants with techniques to identify and counter disinformation and misinformation within religious contexts. COFACT also disseminated live updates and created an informative infographic summarizing key insights. The day concluded with a brainstorming activity titled “Re-imagine the Future,” leading to innovative youth-led initiatives. These included collaborative volunteer work at religious sites through a Youth Interfaith Volunteer Initiative, promoting diversity and respect with an “Under the Same Sky” Initiative, and enhancing relationships, interfaith dialogue and understanding through an envisioned Interfaith Youth Programme. Additionally, they proposed a National/International Inter-religious Youth Leader Exchange for leadership experience, and Comparative Religion Learning to promote interfaith understanding via education. Others included the Interfaith Short Film Initiative for storytelling and the Faith-Related Fact-Checking Initiative, engaging youth in verifying religious news.

Collaboration with eight network organizations successfully engaged 55 youth from Thailand’s southern provinces in comprehensive interfaith dialogue and media literacy training, as well as support from key religious and traditional leaders, CSOs and policymakers Thailand’s southern provinces. Post-training surveys indicated high satisfaction, with participants rating their enhanced skills at an average of 4.5 out of 5. Feedback highlighted the value of open dialogue with peers from different faith backgrounds and the practical media literacy skills gained.

The dedication of the youth and their commitment to addressing the conflicts’ limiting opportunities underscores their readiness to engage in peace-promoting strategies. The support from state authorities creates opportunities for ongoing collaboration in fostering interfaith dialogue and social cohesion across the Southernmost provinces of Thailand.

Young Peacebuilders from Thailand southernmost provinces receive certificats for participation in interfaith dialogue and media literacy training at Cultivating Fellowship.