João Thiago
Garcia:
“Young people
are not hard
work, they are
hard workers”
The young
Spiritist leader
talks about the
importance of
the
Youth
Movement in
Brazilian Spiritism
 |
João Thiago
Garcia is the
coordinator of
the Youth
Movement in the
Union of
Spiritist
Societies (USE)
of the Brazilian
state of São
Paulo and
regional
coordinator of
the Youth
Movement for the
Brazilian
Spiritist
Federation
(FEB). He works
in advertisement
and lives in the
city of Atibaia.
He is married,
aged 32, and had
his first
contact with
|
|
Spiritism when
he was 18. In
this interview
the talks about
the importance
of the Youth
Movement in
Brazilian
Spiritism. |
How do you
motivate and
encourage
interaction
among young
people?
Young people are
naturally
motivated. What
they lack is the
opportunity to
get involved and
play a more
active role.
That is why I
advise the
various Youth
Groups to give
young people
room and
opportunity to
act, to be
young. In those
groups, the
friendship links
are very strong.
It is in those
weekly meetings
that the links
of affection are
established
encouraging
young people to
carry on with
their work and
encouraging
others to join
too.
What tools do
you usually have
to get the
attention of the
participants?
There is not a
better tool than
the Gospel. To
have Jesus as
our guide and
model helps us
look at other
people as unique
beings with
their own dreams
wishes and
fears, just like
us. I have
learned to have
friends and to
be a friend, and
that has
probably helped
me in my task.
What would you
say to the young
men and
teenagers of
today?
“Thanks for
being the
motive,” to use
the words from
the song Hoje
(Today),
from Parole.
Without young
Spiritists, we
would not have a
Youth Spiritist
Movement. I can
only thank those
who get together
to study
Spiritism and to
put into
practice those
Teachings.
What have you
learned from
your experience
with teenagers
and young people
in general?
I have learned
three things: 1.
Young people are
not “hard-work”,
they are hard
workers; 2.
Young age is a
“problem” that
young people end
up dealing with;
3. Young people
are not here to
replace anyone
in the future,
they are here to
work now. That
is why I
emphasize that
opportunity and
guidance are
crucial for
young people to
succeed in
finding their
space in
Spiritist
Centres and in
the Spiritist
Movement without
losing their
spontaneity,
their drive and
the joy that are
typical of that
age.
Is there
anything else
you would like
to add?
The whole
Spiritist
Movement, not
only in São
Paulo state, is
rethinking the
role of young
people. To give
young people
autonomy while
working with
adults is not an
easy task, I
know. We are
used to old
models, even
when we deal
with Education.
But the youth of
today has
prompted us to
look at things
in a different
way. Those who
are in positions
of power in
Spiritist
Centres must
encourage the
participation of
young people.
Parents must
encourage,
always, the
participation of
young people in
all the
activities. And
young people
must respect
those who
arrived before
them and give
their best in
the tasks
assigned to
them. And I
quote here the
lyrics of
another band,
Cartas de
Bordeaux, which
says in
Minhas Asas (My
Wings): “We
are together in
this, your
victory is my
victory too”.
Interviewer’s
note:
You can watch
clips of an
interview João
Thiago gave to
TV Mundo Maior
(in Portuguese)
on YouTube:
Part 1 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDDW00vyDOE
Part 2 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I58sxMA0n9c
Part 3 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHVu2_9qpA8
