Isidora Navarro De la Barra is like many other 16-year-old girls — she enjoys painting, studying history and spending time with her family.
She’s also deeply invested in interfaith cooperation.
Navarro De la Barra spoke on a panel at the International Conference “Paths of Peace: Religions and Cultures in Dialogue.” The conference was held Aug. 12-13 at Temuco Catholic University in Temuco, Chile, by the Global Network of Religions for Children.
Navarro De la Barra’s panel was titled “Interreligious, Intercultural and Intergenerational Perspectives for Peace.” Alongside a young man of the Sikh Dharma faith, Navarro De la Barra spoke about why engaging in interfaith events is important for young people.
“They’re opportunities for growth, for sharing opinions and for listening,” she said. “It’s in these spaces where we can practice being peacemakers and proudly show that we follow Jesus Christ and His example.”
The panel was moderated by María José Ananías — the Global Network of Religions for Children regional coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean — while leaders and scholars from other religions also engaged in the conversation.
In a report on the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom, Navarro De la Barra said she was nervous to converse with adults in front of so many people.
“But little by little, I was able to speak with confidence and see how they listened to me and valued my contributions,” she said. “I understood that faith and dialogue have no age and that being young is not a disadvantage but rather a different way to contribute to peace-building.”
She later told Church News that she felt Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ strengthening her and guiding her in what to say during the panel.
Navarro De la Barra said she tried to keep the conversation casual and personal by sharing her own experiences with interfaith events.
“The goal is to encourage more and more of these events. What better way to encourage adults than by teaching them and telling them what it was like for me?” she said.
Navarro De la Barra was adamant that youth have a fundamental role to play in peacemaking and bridge-building.
“Adults aren’t the only ones who can do this. We can contribute a lot to this great cause despite our young age.”
