Local Groups and Institutions in Zamboanga City Supports the World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 2012
The National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) as the lead organizer of the event, gathered representatives from the Government Organizations, Local Government Units; Philippine National Police-Zamboanga, Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce, Media, Non-Government Organizations, the Academe and from the Religious sectors. On December 22, 2011, a Partners’ Meeting was held as part of the preparation for the World Interfaith Harmony Week which will marked on February 2012 at the Astoria Hotel, in Zamboanga City, Philippines.
This Partner’s Meeting serves as a venue for the stakeholders and supporters of the World Interfaith Harmony week to articulate and suggest their initiatives and activities for the week long celebration. As an initial step a PRIMER was distributed during the occasion as a springboard to drumbeat our on-going commitment to popularize and socialize interfaith dialogue based on foundational teachings of both Islam and Christianity and encourage for the others who are not yet convinced of the need to engage in interfaith dialogue as path to harmony and peace.The World Interfaith Harmony Week proclaimed by the United Nations Organization in 2010 to celebrate this event on the first week of February every year encouraging all states to support, on a voluntary basis, the spread of As part of the on-going commitment to interfaith dialogue many groups and individuals had expressed their desire to take part on this initiative as partners and they are: Silsilah Dialogue Movement, Basilan Ulama Supreme Council, SALAM, Archdiocese of Zamboanga through its Social Action Office, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University through its Peace and Culture Institute and Kasajahitraan. Fr. Sebastiano D’ Ambra of Silsilah Dialogue Movement one of the partners said, the message on interfaith harmony and goodwill in the world’s churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other places of worship on the foundational teachings of love of God and love of neighbor. (UN General Assembly November 2010)
“The celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week becomes a discovery to know, respect and appreciate each other, it’s a new spirit and this will serve as a contribution for peace.”
Mayor Celso L. Lobregat of Zamboanga City also graced the meeting and has given his full support to the event on February by making an executive order. On the other hand, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will inform and mandate all Local Government Units (LGU’s) to partake the said celebration, including all the schools in Zamboanga City.