World Interfaith Harmony Week
This age of globalization needs enlightened people in each faith who can examine their sacred writings and traditions and identify the aspects that can benefit all humanity as well as those that preserve each religion's identity. The UN designated the first week of February every year as World Interfaith Harmony Week with the motto of "Love of God and Love of the Neighbor" / "Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor." UPF calls on people of faith to honor the Divine indwelling in a way that encourages understanding, respect, and cooperation among people of all faiths for the well-being of our communities and peace in the world.
- Written by: UPF - Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina - Fifteen young Americans from the Generation Peace Academy arrived in Buenos Aires Jan. 17, 2013, as part of a service-learning program designed to strengthen ties between people of North America and South America..
- Written by: UPF - New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand - New Zealand, like many countries, has become a melting pot of cultures and faiths. However, this multicultural environment has not always been harmonious, so a World Interfaith Harmony Week program on February 2 offered an opportunity to address this issue.
- Written by: UPF - Russia
Novosibirsk, Russia - A roundtable on "Promotion of intercultural understanding for creating a peaceful and inclusive society in Novosibirsk" on Feb. 7, 2013 adopted a resolution about interreligious harmony.
- Written by: UPF - India
New Delhi and Lucknow, India - A student debate competition on the theme of "Religion and Modernity: Complementary or Contradictory?" marked World Interfaith Harmony Week at Ram Lal Anand College of the University of Delhi in New Delhi, India, on February 7. Dr. Dinesh Sharma, Mayor of Lucknow, and Mrs. Bharati Gandhi, founder of the largest Montessori school in the world, were featured speakers at a World Interfaith Harmony Week program in Lucknow.
- Written by: Dr. Robert S. Kittel, Director of Education, UPF-Asia, and photojournalist
Kathmandu, Nepal - UPF-Nepal partnered with Religions for Peace and Nepal Anuvrat Samiti (Nepal Commitment Society of the Jain tradition) to hold a UN World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration in Kathmandu on February 7. An essay competition focusing on students was held with the theme, "Celebrating Interfaith Harmony for Love and Service to One Another." The venue was a local government school.
- Written by: UPF - Indonesia
Jakarta, Indonesia - UPF-Indonesia organized celebrations of World Interfaith Harmony Week at the SMAN 6 Government High School on February 6 and at the auditorium of the Hanura (People's Conscience) Party on February 7.
- Written by: UPF - Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - UPF-Malaysia organized an observance of World Intefaith Harmony Week at the Peace Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on March 2.
- Written by: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
New York, USA - For billions of people around the world, faith is an essential foundation of life. It provides strength in times of difficulty and an important sense of community. The vast majority of people of faith live in harmony with their neighbours, whatever their creed, but each religion also harbours a strident minority prepared to assert fundamentalist doctrines through bigotry and extreme violence.
For reports of World Interfaith Harmony Week observances organized by UPF, click here.
- Written by: UPF - Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova - Christian, Muslim, and Unificationist youth played volleyball together in Chisinau on February 1, marking the start of World Interfaith Harmony Week in the Republic of Moldova.
- Written by: UPF - Canada
Montreal, Canada - In support of World Interfaith Harmony Week, UPF-Montreal gathered on the evening of January 28. After some reflections about the worldwide promotion of Interfaith Harmony Week, Mr. Anthony Mansour, of the Orthodox Church in Montreal and former President of the Canadian Center for Ecumenism, gave a presentation on pluralism.
- Written by: UPF - Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador - An observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week took place with friendly religious leaders at the Peace Embassy in Quito on February 7. The participants were representatives of the Catholic Church, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Church, the Hebrew Community, Hinduism (the Vaisnava Culture Center and Brahma Kumaris), and the Ecuador Family Church.
- Written by: UPF - Germany
Stuttgart and Munich, Germany - UPF joined the "House of Religion in Stuttgart" for an observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 2. A theologian, Dr. Karlheinz Bartel, spoke about his experience with Buddhism in light of the Interfaith Harmony Week, which is the first week of February. Dr. Bartel lived for some time in Japan, studied Buddhism, and came to learn how to practice meditation, which he undertook with the attendees. In Munich, representatives of various Christian churches and religious communities met to recite prayers for peace and offer musical presentations.
- Written by: UPF - Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil - Religious leaders gathered at the City Chamber of Sao Paulo on February 7 to discuss the possibility of creating an interreligious council to help the city councillors build a culture of peace.
- Written by: UPF International
UN World Interfaith Harmony Week was observed in 16 nations in 2013 with interfaith prayers, forums, reports, essay contests, debates, and sports tournaments.
- Written by: UPF - Austria
Vienna, Austria - UPF-Austria organized a World Interfaith Harmony Week event at the International Center in Vienna Feb. 8, 2013, on the theme of Cooperating among Religions for a Culture of Peace.
- Written by: RYS - Pakistan
Multan, Pakistan - Religious Youth Service-Pakistan observed World Interfaith Harmony Week in Multan from February 1 to 7 with interfaith ceremonies, a concert, and essay, poster, and debate competitions.
- Written by: UPF - Slovakia
Bratislava, Slovakia - Despite the bad weather conditions, there came more people than expected to the Interfaith Harmony Week event organized by UPF-Slovakia on Feb. 13, 2013 in the chapel of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church.
- Written by: Joy Pople, UPF - International
UPF chapters in 34 nations organized events for World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first week of February 2012.
- Written by: Dr. Michael Balcomb, Director of Communications, UPF International
A World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration took place on Feb. 7, 2012, at the UN General Assembly hosted by the President, H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.
- Written by: Fr. Roland P. Alcayaga, UPF-Philippines
Cagayan de Oro, Philippines - In commemoration of World Interfaith Harmony Week, UPF-Mindanao organized a one-day seminar on February 11 for Ambassadors for Peace with the theme: “Love of God and Love of the Neighbor/Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor".
- Written by: UPF - Czech Republic
Brno, Czech Republic - Based on the success of the World Interfaith Harmony Week conference in Prague in February 2012, UPF-Brno was inspired to convene a similar conference in their city on March 16.
- Written by: UPF - Albania
Korça, Albania - Following its annual plan, the Local Peace Council in Korca commemorated World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 7. Although the weather was very cold and it was snowing heavily, the theme of "Interfaith Harmony and Korça Contribution" attracted participants and gained the attention of the national media.
- Written by: UPF - St. Lucia
Anse-la-Raye, St. Lucia - Mr. Remy Taupier, Secretary General of UPF-St. Lucia give a presentation about the common goals and values of religions to students in Anse-la-Raye on February 16. Afterwards, students gathered in small groups to discuss questions related to the presentation.
- Written by: UPF - Canada
Montreal, Canada - Canadian Ambassadors for Peace and friends gathered in Montreal on February 20 in support of World Interfaith Harmony Week by reading prayers from the sacred scriptures of Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Native traditions and more. Important commentary by academicians, religious and political leaders such as Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, Hans Kung, and others set the tone for a lively exchange of testimonies and reflections on the meaning of peace.