TIAH Participates in World Interfaith Harmony Week

February 8, 2017

On October 21, 2010 a unanimous call of the United Nations General Assembly for “A Common World,” created the World Interfaith Harmony Week as it was introduced by the King of Jordan.

man with conch and woman with lei and flower head garland

A traditional chant opened the breakfast gathering.

Recognizing that the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions, and beliefs call for peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding:

  1. Reaffirms that mutual understanding and inter-religious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace.
  2. Proclaims the first week of February of every year the World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs.
  3. Encourages all States to support, on a voluntary basis, the spread of the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill in the world’s churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other places of worship during that week based on Love of God and
  4. Love of the Neighbor, or based on Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor, each according to their own religious traditions or convictions.

As part of this coordinated worldwide effort by the UN to focus attention on the positive aspects of religious differences, communities around the world are encouraged to host a variety of events that focus attention on positive aspects of religious differences during the first week of February each year.

This year Interfaith Open Table of The Interfaith Alliance of Hawaii hosted Hawaii’s first World Interfaith Harmony Week event. A breakfast was held on Tuesday, February 7th, 2017 to bring people of different faiths (or no faith) together for conversation and food and to reaffirm their commitment to Interfaith peace and harmony in Hawaii. Twenty five people, from ten faith traditions and denominations gathered to honor and celebrate each other. The gathering was opened with a traditional chant and blessing from Ihilani Chu of the Hawaiian Church of Hawaii Nei.

man with interfaith symbols on vestment

Rev. Thomas Lynch at the harmony breakfast

Unitarian Universalist hospitality team volunteers

Unitarian Universalist hospitality team volunteers

Our event is registered on the official web site. Please see http://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/ for more detail on this event, and others worldwide. Plans for next year’s event are already under way. If you are interested in becoming involved, please contact Rev. Dr. Thomas D. Lynch at tlynch@interfaithacademy.org or by phone at (808) 799-4866.