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: Olga Chuprakova, UPF-Kazakhstan
Almaty, Kazakhstan - UPF invited Ambassadors for Peace and members of the African Union to a February 10 meeting at the Peace Embassy in honor of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: UPF - Honduras
Tegucigalpa, Honduras - With a video, readings, prayers, and lunch, UPF-Honduras celebrated World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 4 at the Peace Embassy. Other events included work on a medical clinic and an information booth at a park.
- Written by: UPF - Israel
Jerusalem, Israel - Celebrating the UN Interfaith Harmony Week, a group of key Ambassadors for Peace gathered in Jerusalem on February 12. Several prominent academics joined the religious leaders in expressing their concern for the current state of affairs in the Middle East and the Korean peninsula.
- Written by: UPF - Philippines
Sultan Kudarat, Philippines - UPF-Philippines together with the Provincial Government of Sultan Kudarat on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines led by the Governor of the province, Hon. Datu Suharto T. Mangudadatu, Al Haj, celebrated the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 6 with a flag raising ceremony at the Sultan Kudarat Gymnasium and Cultural Center.
- Written by: UPF - Japan
Tokyo, Japan - A commemoration of the United Nations annual World Interfaith Harmony Week was hosted by UPF-Japan on January 18 in Tokyo as the opening program of an Ambassadors for Peace Council Meeting.
- Written by: UPF - Colombia
Bogota, Colombia - World Interfaith Harmony Week was commemorated in Colombia on February 3 with two events: an interreligious breakfast at the Peace Embassy and a gathering of the board of directors of the Teusaquillo Peace Territory at the American College in Bogota.
- Written by: UPF - Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova - To commemorate World Interfaith Harmony Week, a Day of Interfaith Humor took place on January 23 in Chisinau. A presentation about how humor can unite followers of different religions was demonstrated to the 100 participants.
- Written by: Djimadoum Fabrice, UPF-Zambia
Lusaka, Zambia - In accordance with the UN resolution to declare the first week of February as World Interfaith Harmony Week, UPF-Zambia held a one-day seminar on February 4 in Lusaka. The 50 participants included leaders of various faiths, students, NGO leaders, and Ambassadors for Peace.
- Written by: UPF - Chile
Santiago, Chile - A celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week took place on February 6. The speaker was Pastor Juan C. Adasme of the National Council of Evangelical Churches.
- Written by: Tomiko Duggan, Director, UPF Office of Embassy Relations, Washington, DC USA
Washington, DC, USA - Commemorating World Interfaith Harmony Week, UPF-DC held a dinner for distinguished speakers at The Washington Times on February 16 entitled: “Common Ground for the Common Good.” Nearly 100 guests from the diplomatic, NGO, religious, and civic communities listened in rapt attention to four distinguished speakers. Mrs. Tomiko Duggan, Director of the UPF Office of Embassy Relations, introduced the video of current UPF programs and Mr. Thomas McDevitt, president of The Washington Times, greeted the audience.
- Written by: Dr. Robert S. Kittel, Education Director, UPF-Asia
As thousands of Maoist fighters were being released from military cantonments wher they had lived since 2006, religious leaders from eight faith traditions were commemorating the UN’s second annual World Interfaith Harmony Week in Kathmandu, Chitwan, and Pokhara, Nepal.
- Written by: UPF - Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador - UPF-Ecuador organized a meeting for Interfaith Harmony Week at the Peace Embassy in Quito on February 7. Participants were representatives of Catholicism, Protestantism and Unificationism.
- Written by: UPF - Australia
Sydney, Australia - The first Ambassadors for Peace public meeting in Sydney for 2012 celebrated the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week. Over 60 people attended the February 6 event, which featured the theme: “Towards an Era of Interfaith Cooperation and Universal Peace.”
- Written by: UPF - Poland
Warsaw, Poland - UPF and the Women's Federation for World Peace organized a meeting in Warsaw on February 4 for representatives of different religions under the motto From religious tolerance to acceptance and working together to build world peace.
- Written by: UPF - Georgia
Tbilisi, Georgia - A commemoration of World Interfaith Harmony Week took place at the office of “Georgia in Support for Refugees” in Tbilisi on February 4. The event brought together 20 representatives from different NGOs, Ambassadors for Peace, former political leaders, youth leaders, and students.
- Written by: UPF - Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands - UPF-Netherlands organized an interfaith dinner on February 9 in commemoration of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: UPF - Taiwan
Kaohsiung, Taiwan - The program for World Interfaith Harmony Week in Taiwan was a trip on February 4 to the recently inaugurated Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Center in Kaohsiung.
- Written by: UPF - Slovakia
Bratislava, Slovakia - UPF Slovakia inspired an interreligious event on February 10 in the chapel of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church in Bratislava.
- Written by: UPF - Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - UPF-Malaysia organized a celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week in Kuala Lumpur on February 18 that included a showing of the documentary "With One Voice."
- Written by: UPF - Indonesia
Jakarta, Indonesia - UPF-Indonesia organized World Interfaith Harmony Week programs at the Christian University of Indonesia on February 10 and at Sekolah Wijayakusuma on February 11.
- Written by: UPF - Hungary
Budapest, Hungary - An interreligious service was held on February 5 and a prayer breakfast on February 7 as part of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week in Budapest.
- Written by: UPF - Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil - UPF-Brazil organized an interfaith dialogue and celebration at the City Hall of Sao Paulo on February 9. On February 14, an interfaith meeting took place in the Paulo Kobayashi Auditorium of the Sao Paulo State Congress.
- Written by: UPF - India
New Delhi, India - UPF-India in collaboration with the National Service Scheme of the Atma Ram Santan Dharma College of the University of Delhi observed the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 3 by organizing an Inter-Collegiate Debate Competition on the theme of “The Need of Interfaith Harmony for Peace in the 21st Century.”
- Written by: UPF - Russia
A variety of activities commemorating World Interfaith Harmony Week took place in cities throughout Russia, including Moscow, Kondopoga, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Ryazan, St. Petersburg, Tula, Vladivostok, and Yekaterinburg.