Around 70 people from Britain, of diverse national origins, participated at Caux this year. A selection of the attendees were asked to take leading roles in forums and workshops at the event and below you can read some of the reflections from the final week of Caux, the Intergenerational Forum. People gathered to  unite generations to reflect on European values, addressing war, conflict, and shared ideals

Amina Khalid – Programme Manager, Sustainable Communities
Participating in the Intergenerational Forum along with several team members from the Sustainable Communities Programme, was an incredibly enriching experience. We led a workshop on Dialogue: Peace Begins at Home. We explored how peace in our families and communities forms the foundation for broader societal peace. The stories shared were powerful, illustrating how love and understanding within families can ripple outwards to create more peaceful communities. Here are the some reflections from the team.

Faith-Rose 
The conference provided the opportunity to learn from the wisdom and gain insight by hearing from people at different stages of their journey. Through the community group and discussing IofC values showed me where I can improve.

I met individuals such as Andrew Stallybrass and his wisdom in approaching life inspired me to take decisions slowly. I considered what true honesty is and to look at things from all perspectives, and acknowledge the less palatable parts. Conversations on engaging disengaged communities drew me to the need for compassion and deep work.

There is an urgent need for a greater depth of work in the United Kingdom to bring communities together. Considering the recent riots, fuelled by racial and religious hatred, as a black person it is unfortunately unsurprising. As well as community building, safe spaces are necessary for targeted groups with the integration of all as a true reflection of the rich communities we live in and should all feel free to thrive in.

Adeel 
Attending the Caux Forum with the team was an immensely enriching experience, filled with moments of deep reflection, meaningful dialogue, and personal growth. One of the most joyous aspects was being part of the community group, where I had the privilege of listening to participants share their life stories of change.

The morning plenary sessions were particularly enlightening, offering thought-provoking insights that sparked inner reflection and personal development. Engaging with the children through sports activities, like football, provided an unexpected yet powerful means of dialogue and connection. These interactions reminded me of the importance of play and simplicity in fostering understanding across generations.

Mohammed 
The Intergenerational Forum was a time for deep introspection about my understanding of community responsibility and our team’s need to address knife and gang crime. In the context of intergenerational dialogue, it highlighted the diverse perspective needed for driving change.

The phrase “Life is given, not achieved” resonated deeply with me. It emphasized life’s value beyond our achievements and how life is a gift from God. This perspective of God-given life emphasizes how our actions should be for the betterment of our community and humanity at large.

Nuha 
Attending Caux for the first time was a profound and transformative experience. Throughout the week, I was immersed in meaningful conversations that transcended age, race, and religion, creating a deep sense of unity among all participants. The intergenerational dialogues were particularly impactful, as they fostered an environment of love, transparency, and wisdom, allowing us to connect on a fundamental level.

Each day of the forum focused on themes that resonate deeply with the essence of a harmonious society: freedom and faith, equality and hope, fraternity and love. These themes guided our reflections and discussions, revealing the interconnectedness of these values in our lives. I realized that true freedom stems from the courage to believe in oneself and others, while faith extends beyond religion, representing a trust in humanity’s potential for positive change.

As I reflect on my time at Caux, I am determined to carry these values into my daily life and my disconnected community driven by conflict, gang and knife crime, championing them in my university, work and community to create lasting change.

Samad  
Attending Caux for the first time was an incredible experience, and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to meet some amazing, like-minded people. For many young people like myself, living in marginalised communities, we rarely get the chance to see a different world – one that helps us imagine a better future. Caux provided that vision.

One of the highlights for me was speaking with people from so many different backgrounds and hearing their experiences and sharing ours. I found that many of these stories were strikingly similar to my own, especially concerning the current rise in knife crime in England.

This experience truly demonstrated the impact that can be made when a group of people comes together to discuss ongoing issues and explore potential solutions. As part of our core reflection team, we have been contemplating what this entails each day, considering the individual and collective steps we can take to restore faith in our youth and to rebuild relationships. I am excited about the next experience and eager to advance the project further with our amazing team.

Find out more about the Caux Forum here