5 July 2018: The Vatican launched an international conference on ecology, marking the third anniversary of Pope Francis’s Encyclical ‘Laudato Sì.’ Political and religious leaders, scientists, economists and civil society organizations (CSOs) discussed ways to increase awareness among the general public on the gravity of the environmental crisis that the world is facing.
World Interfaith Harmony Week
News about World Interfaith Harmony Week Events
World Council of Churches Encourages Interfaith Harmony
At the beginning of the World Interfaith Harmony Week the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches encouraged churches to work for interfaith harmony. In a letter to the WCC fellowship the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit reflected that we are reminded each day, in both promising and painful ways, of the inevitability of interreligious dialogue for the wellbeing and wholeness of the entire creation.
Practical Dimensions of Interfaith Dialogue
Interfaith dialogue should be relevant to the context of religious plurality that characterises today’s world. It should address the problems, conflicts, and tensions that threaten the harmonious and peaceful coexistence, in an effort to prevent the exploitation of religious sentiments in exacerbating division. In this wise, there are many practical activities which may be taken up as a fruit of interfaith dialogue.
UNITAR Hosts Dialogue on Faith, Peacebuilding & Development
5 February 2016, Palais des Nations, Geneva – Diplomats from permanent missions, staff members from United Nations entities, leaders from NGOs and representatives of major religions gathered at the event, “Dialogue on Faith, Peacebuilding & Development,” to discuss the role of faith in peace-building and how faith-based organizations can support social and economic development in synergy with the new 2030 Agenda.
Australia: Celebration of Interfaith Dialogue
World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) couldn’t have come at a better time. With the recent US travel bans against countries that are predominantly Muslim and persecution of faith groups including Christians at an all-time high; it sometimes feels like there is a war on religion as a whole.
Pakistan: Use Interfaith Harmony to counter Islamophobia
UNITED NATIONS – Pakistan has called for action to combat the forces of Islamophobia and warned that if timely steps are not taken to check this disturbing trend, it could threaten regional and global peace and security. The Pakistan Ambassador to the United Nations organised a side event at the UN on occasion of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
World Interfaith Harmony – UN General Assembly, Special event
On 6 February 2016, as part of World Interfaith Harmony Week, the United Nations General Assembly conducted a special event – in partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and with the Committee of Religious NGOs. The event consisted of discussion panels on innovative approaches that develop a spirit of partnership among religious communities.
Interfaith Harmony: Implementing the Transformative Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and The Committee of Religious NGOs at the U.N. presented a special event focussed on the transformative agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) at the United Nations on 3 February, 2016.
Buddhist Reflection on Interfaith: In Observance of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week
Doyeon Park, Won Buddhist Teacher, Chaplain at New York University and Religious Life Adviser at Columbia University writes about being Buddhist and Interfaith Harmony.
Vatican, World Council of Churches – Annual Meeting on Inter-religious Dialogue
(Vatican City) The annual meeting between the officials of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) and the staff of the Office for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation (IRDC) of the World Council of Churches (WCC), took place from 3 to 4 February in Geneva, Switzerland. Appropriately this was during Interfaith Harmony Week.