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World Interfaith Harmony Week serves as a platform to promote peace and understanding among religious communities globally.
World Interfaith Harmony Week provides a platform for all interfaith groups and people to come together and promote harmony. (Image: Shutterstock)
World Interfaith Harmony Week 2025: An annual celebration observed every year in the first week of February, the World Interfaith Harmony Week serves as a platform to promote peace and understanding among religious communities globally.
Established in 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly, the week focuses on increasing dialogue, respect, and collaboration among different faiths. It also encourages citizens to reflect and take action aimed at uplifting the spirit of harmony.
As UNGA gears up to observe the World Interfaith Harmony Week 2025, here’s all you need to know about its history, significance, and objectives.
World Interfaith Harmony Week 2025: History
According to the United Nations’ official website, the World Interfaith Harmony Week was conceived in 2010 by King Abdullah II of Jordan to promote cultural peace and non-violence.
It was swiftly adopted by the UN General Assembly, declaring the first week of February each year as the World Interfaith Harmony Week. The UNGA also called on government institutions, as well as civil society to observe it through various programmes and initiatives.
The annual observance week is based on the pioneering work of The Common Word initiative, which was started in 2007. It called upon Muslim and Christian leaders to engage in a dialogue based on two fundamental religious commandments – Love of God, and Love of the Neighbour.
The UNGA Resolution for World Interfaith Harmony Week also recognised that the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions, and beliefs call for peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding.
Some of its key aspects included reaffirming mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue, encouraging all states to support voluntarily, and requesting the Secretary-General to keep the General Assembly informed of the implementation of the present resolution.
World Interfaith Harmony Week: Significance
The World Interfaith Harmony Week provides a platform for all interfaith groups and people to come together and promote harmony.
The week also encourages grassroots events to link people in a wave of respect, understanding, and action. While initing diverse interfaith groups remains a common theme, the week also emphasises the influence of houses of Gods like temples, mosques, and churches to promote peace.
By engaging in open dialogue and learning about different faiths, one can contribute towards building a peaceful and harmonious world with everyone celebrating a shared humanity.
World Interfaith Harmony Week: Celebrations
Observed globally every year, the celebrations focus on creating mutual understanding between people, encouraging interreligious dialogue with the United General Assembly encouraging nations to take part and disseminate the message of interfaith tolerance and goodwill.
All global citizens can observe Interfaith Harmony Week by planning group activities or organising competitions, inviting all community members. They can create awareness of the importance of peace, and call upon religious institutes to contribute towards spreading the message of interfaith harmony.
