Young people in the Ripon area have been learning about peace and understanding, while taking part in a series of music, drama and dance workshops run by an international team of artists and musicians.
The Gen Verde musicians and artists, representing thirteen different countries and five continents, have been touring throughout Britain and Europe this year with their “Start Now – Peace Begins With Me” project, and in Ripon last week they held workshops for young people at Holy Trinity Church, before giving a concert at Ripon Cathedral the next day.
Bishops James Bell and Jonathan Gibbs, were guests at the event, joining with the young people to meet with the Gen Verde team and discuss pressing issues of international concern and hear their own stories of recent encounters with refugees fleeing Syria, and more local issues such as fracking. Gen Verde is part of the international Focolare movement, a movement for peace and understanding which began as a Christian ecumenical women’s movement in Italy seventy years ago but now includes those of other faiths with members worldwide.
“Gen Verde does an amazing job bringing together young people from diverse backgrounds, often in areas of real tension and conflict” said Bishop Jonathan. “The commitment of the teams to living out reconciliation is fabulous and their use of music and the creative arts to break down barriers and to reach into people's lives is fantastic.”
Bishop James said he was very impressed by what he saw 
and heard: “‘Peace beginning with me’, ‘putting yourself in the shoes of the other person’, ‘no one needing to be a stranger’ - these were the strong messages that were being communicated as the young people worked together in music and drama workshops to create a concert for the community. A great idea; great messages and so much evidence of faith bearing fruit in changing lives. It was a privilege to share in the Gen Verde event. It was also a privilege to engage with the young people on issues like social media and fracking: they were impressive in their reflections!”
Gen Verde’s performing arts workshops are designed to give young people the opportunity to discover new talents and develop existing ones, in a unique creative atmosphere. In Britain they are also visiting Edinburgh, Motherwell, Hertfordshire and Oxford, before heading on to Liverpool, Birmingham, South Wales, London, and the south coast over the next two months, forming a chain of concerts stretching the length of Britain from Glasgow to Plymouth.
“A Gen Verde concert offers some wonderful music, thoughtful lyrics and an enriching experience”, says Michael Waiting from 
Ripon who is coordinating the Yorkshire leg of Gen Verde’s British tour. “We are delighted that young people from this area are making their contribution.”
