UN launches first World Interfaith Harmony Week
On February 1st the United Nations launched the first World Interfaith Harmony Week which will annually be observed during the first week of February.
Recognizing that the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions and beliefs call for peace, tolerance and mutual understanding, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the week offers an opportunity to focus on interfaith movements and individuals around the world, in their efforts to support peace.
“Respect for diversity and peaceful dialogue are essential if the human family is to cooperate globally to face shared threats and seize common opportunities,” he said.
“That is why efforts by states, civil society and other actors to build trust among communities and individuals lie at the heart of so many United Nations’ initiatives,” Ki- moon added.
This week will be observed with a broad spectrum of activities around the world. To mark the occasion, the Shinnyo-en Foundation staff will be volunteering at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco this Friday in celebration of the inter-faith principle of service! GLIDE’s program provides on average 2,560 meals a day, 364 days a year to the city’s poor, homeless and hungry.
In addition to celebrating this World Interfaith Harmony Week in service, the Shinnyo-en Foundation would like to take this opportunity to highlight the work of Nan Peterson at the Wayzata Community Church in Minnesota, where in a spirit of celebration she has introduced Shinnyo-en Foundation’s Six Billion Paths to Peace in a year long program for students to learn about their faith and the faiths of others. Nan Peterson is Director of Service-Learning at The Blake School in Minneapolis and the Senior Shinnyo Fellow of Shinnyo-en Foundation.
Please click here for more information about Wayzata Community Church in Minnesota
http://www.sef.org/2011/02/wayzata-community-church-high-school-class-spend-a-year-focused-on-religious-pluralism/
More about Nan Peterson…
