Pillar - Interfaith

Volumes 1-22 of the interfaith journal Dialogue & Alliance were published by the Inter-Religious Federation for World Peace.

Religious Youth Service has been organizing interfaith service-learning projects for youth in various parts of Thailand for more than two decades. Here is a sampling of reports.

Transcripts of addresses at the observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week at the UN General Assembly Hall on February 7, 2012.

UPF chapters in 34 nations around the world responded to the call to organize events for World Interfaith Harmony Week 2012. The first week of February every year has been designated World Interfaith Harmony Week by the United Nations General Assembly, with the theme "Love of God and Love of the Neighbor" / "Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor." To read reports click here.

Several documentary films trace the lives of extraordinary people who seek to rise above religious differences and conflicts and work for healing and reconciliation.

In support of UN General Assembly Resolution 64/81 on the Promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding, and cooperation for peace, adopted 7 December 2009, and the proposal introduced by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan for the annual celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week, the Universal Peace Federation issued this statement in support of interfaith efforts to address critical global problems:

Sri Lanka was torn by civil strife from 1983 to 2009 between the minority Tamils in the north and east and the majority Sinhalese population in the rest of the country. Religious Youth Service has been countering this ethnic strife by providing an environment wherein youth can rise above doctrinal differences, unite in activities of service and learning, and develop leadership abilities that enable them to help create a culture of peace. Since 1992, it has been offering Sri Lankans a model of how ethnic, religious, and even political differences can be bridged.

Stuttgart, Germany - Hubert Arnoldi, UPF-Stuttgart Chairman and Board Chairman of the House of Religion in Stuttgart, welcomed 30 guests to a forum on the International Day of Human Rights, December 10.

Vienna, Austria - Two young musicians greeted the audience with the language of music, which can be understood beyond culture and nationality, as they arrived for a December 8 conference on "Interreligious Dialogue: The Role of the United Nations and Peace in the 21^st Century."

Novosibirsk, Russia - A Forum on “Peace through interreligious dialogue and education” was held in Novosibirsk from December 2 to 5 to promote dialogue and cooperation among young people of various religions.

Sao Paulo, Brazil - In partnership with UNILUX, an interfaith forum took place at the Unification headquarters in Sao Paulo on November 27 with the theme Religion and World Peace.

As preparations are made for celebrating another UN Week of Interfaith Harmony, it is to be hoped that religious leaders will rise to the challenge of moving beyond friendly but symbolic gestures to an open examination of the deep-seated changes that must be made if religions are to embrace their joint responsibility as champions of peace.

The founding elements of the inner structure of Islamic social organization as prescribed by the Qur’an and Sunnah can be broadly categorized as freedom, equality, and solidarity of mankind. These elements in turn constitute the conceptual infrastructure for social justice in all spheres of human life.

Under the Islamic- style entrepreneurship, output maximization, profit maximization, employee benefits, etc., are all subject to considerations of community wellbeing. Profits for the equity holders and benefits for employees are residual matters. Therefore, this may be a suitable and useful model for third-sector economics that promote development with social justice in developing countries.