By JONG CADION
PAGADIAN CITY,
ZAMBOSUR (Feb.3, 2014 Frontline News) – The different Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs), Religious Organizations, Local Government Unit (LGU) and
government school teachers and students in Pagadian City celebrated the first World
Interfaith Harmony Week on Saturday, February 1.
According to Silsilah
Dialogue Movement Pagadian-Christian coordinator for Harmony chain Initiative
Corazon Mendoza the weeklong celebration is in line with the implementation of
Republic Act No. 10525 declaring every first week of February of every year as World
Interfaith Harmony Week in the entire country and mandating its observance by
the different government agencies.
The World Interfaith Harmony Week was initiated by King Abdulah II and
Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jourdan following the proposed resolution by 130
Muslim scholars and was adopted by the United Nation through a resolution on
2010 aims to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith, Mendoza said.
The UN resolution recognized the moral imperatives of all religions,
convictions, and beliefs call for peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding
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 Love of the Neighbour, or based on Love of the Good and Love of the
Neighbour, each according to their own religious traditions or convictions.
Last year through the Silsilah, Zamboanga City was first celebrated The World
Interfaith Harmony Week in Zamboanga City, Davao City and Manila
The Silsilah was initiated the lobbying to congress through
congresswoman now Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco for the successful creation
of Republic Act No. 10525.
The law is a consolidation of Senate bill No. 3276 and House bill No.
6148 waw finally passed on January 28, 2013 and February 4, 2013 respectively
and was approved and signed into law by President Benigno S. Aquino III on
April 23, 2013.
Republic Act No. 10525 declaring every first week of February of every
year as World Interfaith Harmony Week in the entire country and mandating its
observance by the different government agencies.
The celebration started
last Saturday morning through a parade from the City Plaza going to the major
streets in down town City of Pagadian and ended at the City Plaza Cover Court
with a simple program attended by Vice Mayor Divina Grace Yu.
The parade was
participated by selected students of Zamboanga del Sur National High School
(ZSNHS) main campus, different religious organizations from the tri-people of
Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur the Muslim, Subanen, and Christian, the
Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace and the members of Moral Recovery
Program (MRP-MRND).
Ummah Fi Salam(UFS)
Executive Director and Interfaith Muslim convenor Sultan Maguid Maruhom in his
message cited the importance of the law mandating all government agencies to
lead the celebration for the unity from all walks of life in the community in
order to obtain lasting peace.
“The theme of this
year’s celebration is ‘Strengthening Love for God and One Another: A
Celebration of Hope for Life, Peace and Solidarity,’ is a clear message that
the collaborative effort from all religious organizations through Interfaith,
CSOs and government agencies is one solution to achieve peace especially in
Mindanao,” Sultan Maruhom said.
Vice Mayor Yu cited that
the first launching celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week is also a
celebration of World Hijab Day which aim to have one million Muslim and non-Muslim women worldwide wear a hijab for one day to improve
religious understanding for
peace.
Vice Mayor Yu said that the celebration of
World Hijab Day is encouraging all women to try on a hijab in one day is about
promoting sisterhood in women around the country and around the world. This
celebration at the same time is also one way of promoting peace and
understanding which is the main objective of World Interfaith Harmony Week that
need all of us to support, the Vice Mayor said.
The launching program in the morning was
followed by the concert at the Park in the evening held at the Plaza Luz
Taklobo Stage featuring religious songs spearheaded by the members of Moral
Recovery Program headed by Pastor Victor Quirim and pastora Ruth G. Tanginan.
During the second day on Sunday will be the
information education through a Radio program over RMN-DXPR Kapihan 603 from
9:30 to 10:30 am headed by interfaith convenor Sultan Maruhom and CSOs leaders
from UFS Ibrahim Balimbingan,jr. Silcilah group Virgie Cram and Corazon Mendoza
to discuss the highlights of the R.A. 10525.
Today Monday February 3, the 3rd
day of the celebration will be Forum, Dialogue with government agencies and
CSOs on the peace and order issue to be followed by the Film showing on the
documentary film titled as the Imam and the Pastor headed by UFS Board Chairman
Ibrahim Balimbingan and on Tuesday the 4th day is the visitation and
relief goods distribution to the Urban Poor muslim village in barangay Kawit,
Pagadian City.
On the 5th day is a whole day
bloodletting to be held at the City Commercial Center (C3) Mall. On the 6th
day is the Poster and collage Making Contest for high School and College level
to be held at the Victory Hall. On Friday February 7 will be the evaluation of
the weeklong activities, planning and recommendation followed by the culmination
program and fellowship.
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