Africa Spiritual Day in Mozambique Acclaims Family Values

Maputo, Mozambique – On May 31, 2026, the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD-Africa) convened the 6th Africa Spiritual Day in Maputo, Mozambique, under the theme “Family Values: A Blueprint for Interfaith Cooperation.” The event commemorated both the International Day of Families and Africa Day, bringing together approximately 2,000 onsite participants, including religious leaders, members of parliament, peace advocates, families, and community representatives. More than 400 online connections also joined the program from across Africa, with proceedings in Portuguese, interpreted into English and French.

The gathering emphasized the central role of family values in strengthening social cohesion, moral leadership, peacebuilding and cooperation among diverse faith traditions. In his keynote address, IAPD-Africa Chairman Imboni Dr. uZwi-Lezwe Radebe described the family as the foundation of society and the first school of life, stressing that many contemporary social challenges are fundamentally spiritual in nature. He called for renewed spiritual development, arguing that strong families emerge from spiritually healthy individuals and remain the foundation of stable communities and prosperous nations.

A report presented by Rev. Jean Augustin Ghomsi, coordinator of IAPD-Africa, reviewed the growth of Africa Spiritual Day since its inception and highlighted IAPD’s efforts to promote interfaith cooperation, family values, youth character education, and support for the African Union’s Agenda 2063. He underscored the importance of uniting religious leaders around shared values and common goals for the continent.

The program featured perspectives from various faith traditions. Ms. Gafsah Mahlangu of the International Sufi School emphasized that family values such as love, mercy, patience, forgiveness and service provide a natural foundation for interfaith cooperation. Dr. Odete Bartolomeu Maninguane, representing the Baha’i Faith, highlighted the unity of humanity and the family as the primary environment for cultivating virtues and social responsibility. Bishop Maria Alberto Mucamba Mahota presented a Christian perspective, identifying generosity, tolerance, solidarity and respect for life as essential values for peaceful coexistence and stronger communities.

Congratulatory messages were delivered by Rev. Mica Amanlaman, regional director of FFWPU Southern Africa, and Ms. Tomiko Duggan, global IAPD coordinator. Both speakers emphasized the universality of family values, the importance of practical interfaith cooperation, and the vision of humanity as one family under God. They encouraged participants to move beyond dialogue and actively address social challenges through service, reconciliation and collaborative peacebuilding efforts.

Throughout the event, speakers consistently affirmed the family as the primary school of values and highlighted shared moral principles across religious traditions. Discussions emphasized spirituality as a key element in addressing social challenges, the importance of youth character development, the strengthening of marriage and family life, and the role of interfaith cooperation in building peaceful and prosperous societies.

The event concluded with a renewed commitment among participants to work together across religious boundaries in advancing peace, unity and development throughout Africa. The program successfully demonstrated that strong families and shared values provide a powerful foundation for interfaith cooperation and social transformation, reinforcing the vision of One Human Family under God.

The next Africa Spiritual Day is scheduled to take place on June 26, 2026, in Liberia.

 

By Jean Ghomsi, Coordinator, IAPD-Africa May 31, 2026