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World Interfaith Harmony Week kicks off on 1st February
First proposed in 2010 by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan, the World Interfaith Harmony Week was unanimously adopted by the UN to be celebrated on the first week of February each year.
The initiative, based on the pioneering work of The Common Word initiative, started in 2007 calling for Muslim and Christian leaders to engage in a dialogue based on two common fundamental religious Commandments: Love of God, and Love of the Neighbour, without nevertheless compromising any of their own religious tenets. These Two commandments are at the heart of the three Monotheistic religions and therefore provide a solid theological ground.
One week every year, the World Interfaith Harmony Week provides a platform for all interfaith groups and other groups of goodwill to show the world what a powerful movement they are. The week also allows to build long lasting ties among these groups and become aware of each other.
Among the various events organized this year, there's the School of Peace 2012: a 14-week living experience for Asian youth coming from different faiths, ethnicities and political positions; and the BIG I Conference (Interfaith-Interspiritual-Integral), a two-day workshop that brings spiritual leaders and visionaries from four countries together, to share practices, faiths, paths and ideas about human spirituality.
Various religious leaders will also come together for a discussion on forgiveness, compassion and oneness organized at London Central Mosque to promote world interfaith harmony. Speakers include Rabbi Jackie Tabick, chairman of the World Congress of Faiths, Reverend Peter Owen Jones, known for his BBC programme Around The World In 80 Faiths; and Imam Abduljalil Sajid, chairman of the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony UK and president of Religions for Peace UK. Furthermore, Buddhist Yann Lovelock Ajit Singh MBE will participate on the panel representing the Sikh faith, and Kiran Bali MBE, who will represent the Hindu faith and is also chief executive of United Religions Initiative, UK.
The "Gathering of Voices: Sacred Songs and Recitations for the World Interfaith Harmony Week" will bring together, God willing, representatives of five major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, who will make harmony audible by performing for each other and the general public some of the most important recitations and chants of their respective traditions. Traditional recitations of the Vedas, Buddhist sutras, Jewish Torah recitation and chants, Christian chants and Islamic Qur'an recitation and Sufi chants.
Another featured event will be YARA's COEXIST 2012, to take place on February 4th 2012, with an intended 350 attendees. YARA will participate in the World Interfaith Harmony Week by engaging in inter-religious and interfaith dialogue to help build for a culture of peace around the world.
You can look for more events on the Event Calendar here.
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