Interreligious dialogue (IRD) is more than just an exchange of beliefs,  it has the power to transform lives. For 27-year-old Preet Kaur Veygal, a trained nurse in Singapore, her engagement with IRD has reshaped her career aspirations, inspiring her to pursue a new path as a counselor. Her journey highlights the tangible impact of interfaith engagement, particularly in diverse and multicultural societies like Singapore.

Ms. Veygal’s story began in 2017 when she joined Sikh Sewaks Singapore, a religious youth organization committed to community service and interfaith collaboration. Initially, she engaged in local and regional IRD events with the goal of increasing Sikh representation in interreligious discussions. However, as she became more involved, she recognized that IRD was not just about raising visibility but also about listening, learning, and fostering mutual understanding.

Singapore’s religious landscape is highly diverse. Over 30% of the population identifies as Buddhist, 20% as agnostic, 20% as Christian, and 15% as Muslim. Smaller religious communities, including Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Jains, and Jews, make up less than 1% of the population. In this vibrant mix of faiths and cultures, Ms. Veygal discovered that interreligious encounters not only provided a platform to share Sikh perspectives but also revealed shared human experiences across different faith traditions.

Talking to people, listening to their lived experiences, their values, their emotions; it sparked a curiosity in me to understand human behavior on a deeper level,” she shared. “I realized that these conversations are not just about faith, but also about how people navigate life’s challenges, and how interfaith dialogue can foster emotional and psychological well-being.

Inspired by these interactions, Preet is now undergoing training to become a counselor, aiming to create more safe spaces where individuals can express themselves freely. She strongly believes that young people, regardless of religious background, face similar struggles, whether academic pressure, workplace challenges, or societal expectations.

Singapore is a highly competitive society, and youth from all religious backgrounds face common challenges. Through interreligioua and interculture dialogue, we can share insights, offer support, and find solutions together, she emphasized.

Her commitment to IRD aligns with the KAICIID Asia Region Programme, which works to strengthen interfaith understanding and social cohesion in the region. By fostering connections among religious communities, KAICIID supports initiatives that empower young leaders like Ms. Veygal to become catalysts for change. Through training, dialogue platforms, and capacity-building efforts, the programme amplifies the voices of emerging interreligious leaders who contribute to peace and social harmony.

Encouraging other young people to engage in IRD, Ms. Veygal urges, “When we start speaking about certain issues, we begin to understand the challenges other faiths and cultures face. We realize how interconnected we are, and that we have a role to play in supporting each other.”

Her journey underscores the power of dialogue in shaping not only individual lives but also broader societal transformations. By fostering understanding and empathy, interreligious engagement continues to create ripples of positive change, one conversation at a time.