World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014
For a PowerPoint overview of UPF observances, click here.
- Written by: Steinar Murud, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway - An observance of the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week on the theme of Peace in Syria and the Middle East took place at Central Jamaat e Ahi-e Sunnat in Oslo on Feb. 6, 2014.
- Written by: Christa Kamga, Youth UPF - UK
London, UK - World Interfaith Harmony Week was commemorated in the House of Lords Feb. 5, 2014 by Youth UPF- UK with an evening of music and presentations on interfaith harmony from the perspectives of young adults of different faiths.
- Written by: Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, Secretary General, UPF-Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria - UPF-Nigeria convened a Special Interreligious Assembly on Feb. 5 to mark World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014 at the Peace Embassy in Abuja and deliberated on innovative approaches to promoting interreligious harmony for the national unity in Nigeria.
- Written by: Dr. Robert S. Kittel, Director of Peace Education, UPF-Asia
Four UN World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014 programs were held throughout India. They addressed the role religions should collectively play in peacebuilding. Two seminars were held at the UN Conference Hall in the capital, New Delhi. Other programs were in Siliguri, West Bengal, and in the southern city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. UPF-India was the main organizer of these events.
- Written by: Hiromi Mishima, Secretary General, UPF-Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador - Interfaith leaders gathered on Feb. 4, 2014 at the Peace Embassy in Quito to exchange views about ways to cooperate to establish a peaceful world based on the practices of each religion. Participants included religious leaders from the Catholic, Evangelical and Episcopal churches and Hinduism.
- Written by: Dr. Juraj Lajda, Secretary General, UPF-Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic - Over 50 people from different denominations came to an interreligious conference celebrating World Interfaith Harmony Week at the Community of Christians in Prague on Feb. 3, 2014.
- Written by: Greg Stone, Secretary General, UPF-Oceania
Sydney, Australia - UPF-Australia held its bimonthly meeting on Feb. 3, 2014 in observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Franco Famularo, Secretary General, UPF-Canada
Montreal, Canada - Ambassadors for Peace gathered in Montreal on the evening of Feb. 3, 2014 to celebrate the UN designated Interfaith Harmony Week. The evening included prayers, the reading of sacred scriptures by representatives of different faiths and a water pouring ceremony by representatives of Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist and Unification traditions. The evening concluded with reflections on scriptures read from the holy texts by those in attendance.
- Written by: Dr. Kazi Nurul Islam, Professor and Chair, Department of World Religions and Cultures, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dhaka, Bangladesh - During UN Interreligious Harmony Week, an interreligious harmony rally took place on Feb. 2, 2014 on the campus of the University of Dhaka.
- Written by: UPF - Indonesia
Medan, Indonesia - World Interfaith Harmony Week was observed at a program at the UPF center in Medan, North Sumatra on Feb. 2.
- Written by: Dr. Robert S. Kittel, Director of Education, UPF-Asia, and photojournalist
New Delhi, India - An overflow crowd gathered at the United Nations Information Centre in New Delhi, India on Jan. 4, 2014 for an event linked to the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week.