New York, 19 July 2017 – The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) organized a panel discussion on “The Role of Religious Leaders in Peacebuilding in the Middle East” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 18 July 2017.
Interfaith
Sustainable Food and Faith
The Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative (ISFC) is a nonprofit organization working in California’s Sonoma and Marin Counties.
Australia: Interfaith cooperation in action at Mount Isa, Queensland
A single beige demountable fitted with not much more than an air conditioner, a few chairs, and a patchwork of woven mats turned to face Mecca has become an outback symbol of religious hope. The Good Shepherd Catholic church in the remote Queensland mining town of Mount Isa has offered space in its parish building to the local Islamic community for use as a prayer room.
Interfaith leader joins the Queen for lunch
The deputy director of the UK’s Council of Christians and Jews has joined the Queen and Prince Philip for an exclusive lunch at Buckingham Palace. Elizabeth Harris-Sawczenko was one of just eight guests from all walks of life selected by the Royals to join the special event, where she gifted Her Majesty with artwork by Vetta Alexis. It depicts the traditional Jewish prayer recited on meeting a member of the Royal Family.
Christian, Muslim leaders agree to stand against religious extremism
The role of religions in promoting peace and countering violence was discussed during a two-day dialogue between the Muslim Council of Elders and the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland from 30 September to 1 October. Two sessions of talks, hosted by the WCC, involved presentations and discussions on key aspects of peacebuilding and interreligious dialogue, paying special attention to combating religious extremism leading to violence in many parts of the world.
Pope Francis to American interreligious symposium: world is watching
Francey
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the participants in an international interreligious congress on Thursday in the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace. Organized by the Instituto del Diálogo Interreligioso – the Institute for Interreligious Dialogue of Argentina, in partnership with the Organization for American States and with the collaboration of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the symposium opened Wednesday, September 7th, at the Pontifical Augustinianum Institute to explore the theme: América en diálogo – Nuestra casa común – “America in Dialogue: our common home”.
Jews part of interfaith effort helping needy Moroccans at Ramadan
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and the Muslim group Mimouna, along with Chabad, teamed to deliver 1,500 boxes of food worth some $60,000 to feed 8,000 needy Muslims in Kenitra, Rabat and Sale on Sunday.
Singapore: Religious heads work to build trust, maintain harmony
Just two hours after the Jakarta blasts, about 30 religious and community leaders of the Braddell Heights’ Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle received information about what was happening on the ground there. They were also asked by the authorities to look out for reactions in their communities.
Indonesian Muslim group organizing interfaith event against extremism
Indonesia’s largest Islamic movement is organising an interfaith gathering next week, in which some 10,000 people are expected to participate. Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), is organising a mass rally in the capital, Jakarta, on Jan. 17 as a way to fight religious extremism and terrorism, as well as promote pluralism as the true foundation of Indonesian society. NU will be joined by 13 other Islamic organisations, as well as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia (Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia, KWI), various Protestant churches and the Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia (Majelis Tinggi Agama Konghucu Indonesia, MATAKIN).
Interfaith group provides Christmas meals to Myanmar’s poor
For the poor children and families from the Irrawaddy riverside in Mandalay, where people live in temporary tents, one good meal is a special Christmas gift. An interfaith group of woman comprised of Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus reached out to Mandalay’s poor on Dec. 20 to provide meals as a way of conveying the Christmas message of joy.