RI celebrates world interfaith harmony week

Antara News, Sun, February 06 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Hundreds of adherents of different faiths all over the country celebrated World Interfaith Harmony Week at the Senayan indoor stadium here on Sunday.

"The event is the formal agenda of the UN aimed at campaigning for the importance of harmonious life among adherents of different faiths," Chairman of the Presidium of the Inter-Religious Council (IRC) for Indonesia Prof Dr Din Syamsuddin said in his address to the event.

Din said the event also served as a means to gather interfaith figures to address a myriad of social problems facing the nation.

The UN has called on all religious adherents worldwide to celebrate the World Interfaith Harmony Week every the first week of February as of 2011.

Also present at the event were Chairman of the People`s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Taufik Kiemas, Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Marzuki Alie, Chairman of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) Irman Gusman and Secretary General of New York-based Religions for Peace William F. Vendley.

"May this event give a message to all the people in Indonesia. As a pluralistic nation, let us preserve our unity and cohesion as a large nation," Din said.

He said the event was designed to put an end to longstanding inter-religious dispute and violence so that religious adherents all over the world could lead a fair and peaceful life without war and violence.

It was Jordanian King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad that initiated the event during the Annual Meeting of the UN General Assembly in September 2010.

"In supporting the UN program, the IRC Indonesia as a forum of interfaith figures organized the event in the country," Din said.

Meanwhile, William F. Vendley welcomed the event and hoped all parties in Indonesia would work hand in hand to create peace.

Editor: Ruslan