USCatholic.org Guest blog by Sue Stanton Interfaith Harmony week celebrates the good of religion and of dialogue on both a local and global scale. Guest blog by Sue Stanton “There’s a bomb in your basement,” the raspy voice on the phone told a little girl, “and it’s about ready to go off.” In one sentence, my childhood dissolved. The United States had just elected a Catholic president and we Catholic kids were under siege from a local school board. Tensions ran high and rhetoric soon followed culminating with a protest march led by my mother; a target for one man’s sick and twisted brand of patriotism.

Associated Press of Pakistan LONDON, Feb 03 (APP)-The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) Thursday warmly welcomed “World Inter Faith Harmony Week,” which was announced by the United Nations General Assembly last October and termed it as the most practical vehicle to achieve religious harmony.

Kaieteur News – Guyana As observances for World Interfaith Harmony Week continue, individuals from the various religious groups came out in their numbers yesterday for the ‘Harmony Walk’.

newswire.ca Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Lutheran leaders join Trillium Gift of Life Network in urging registration of consent

Morocco News and Press Reviews Respect for diversity and peaceful dialogue are essential if the human family is to cooperate globally to face shared threats and seize common opportunities

The Huffington Post The United Nations kicked off the first “World Interfaith Harmony Week” on Tuesday (Feb. 1) to promote dialogue and civility among the world’s religions.

World Alliance of YMCAs Dear friends, We want to share with you this message from the UN Secretary General and highlight the observance of the World Interfaith Harmony Week. YMCA worldwide wants to contribute to a peaceful coexistence of people of different faiths and especially create meeting places for young people to come together to learn from one another and grow deeper understanding and mutual trust and friendship.

Organisation of the Islamic Conference Message of the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference on the occasion of the World Interfaith Harmony Week. It gives me great pleasure to note that the international community is observing the World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 1-7, 2011 – As Secretary General of the OIC, I take particular pride that the initiative came from the Head of an OIC Member State, His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein of Jordan, during the ongoing 65th session of the UN General Assembly. On behalf of the OIC, I issued a statement welcoming this visionary initiative and called on all to observe the week in a befitting manner.

Jordan Times AMMAN (Petra) – HRH Prince Ghazi, the King’s special adviser and personal envoy, on Wednesday attended a celebration marking World Interfaith Harmony Week, organised by the Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Centre.

Beliefnet The United Nations kicked off the first “World Interfaith Harmony Week” on Tuesday (Feb. 1) to promote dialogue and civility among the world’s religions.

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey Pravda.Ru The United Nations Organization has launched its first Interfaith Harmony Week with numerous activities held around the world to comemmorate the event, involving intergovernmental organizations and UN entities. After centuries of communities taking the precepts of their religions in vain, the world can, and must, grasp this opportunity at a time when insecurity and violence threatens to engulf the Middle East.

Richard Yeakley (ENInews/RNS) 2 February 2011 New York (ENInews). The United Nations has inaugurated the first “World Interfaith Harmony Week” to promote dialogue and civility among the world’s religions. The observances are meant to reaffirm that “mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace,” according to a resolution passed by the U.N. General Assembly.

San Francisco, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) February 02, 2011 As popular uprisings roil the Middle East and North Africa this week, a revolution of a different kind is just beginning to take shape. Tuesday marked the start of the first annual United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, February 1-7 – Crowded amidst a dizzying array of UN days, weeks, month, even decades, this designated week stands out as the first global-level acknowledgment of the importance of interfaith cooperation and understanding to world peace and prosperity.

In 2010, HM King Abdullah II and HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan called on the United Nations to create World Interfaith Harmony Week. The resolution was unanimously adopted and this year marks the first annual celebration of interfaith harmony, throughout the first week of February. The celebration seeks to promote dialogue among all people regardless of their perspectives and to build momentum for interfaith initiatives worldwide.

Christian Today Dr Olav Fykse Tveit said it was “vital” to promote inter-religious and intercultural dialogue “in times when there are many who seek to divide people of faith”. The first seven days of February were designated World Interfaith Harmony Week by the UN at the proposal of King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan.

UN News Centre 1 February 2011 – The United Nations launched the first World Interfaith Harmony Week today with a broad range of activities around the world, including interfaith breakfasts, film screenings and talks featuring the active participation of civil society, UN entities and other intergovernmental organizations.

New Kerala United Nations, Feb 2 : The UN has embarked upon the first World Interfaith Harmony Week with a wide range of activities across the globe, including India. “The first World Interfaith Harmony Week is an opportunity to focus global attention on the efforts of religious leaders, interfaith movements and individuals around the world to promote mutual respect and understanding between followers of different faiths and beliefs,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message as the week began yesterday.

Jordan Times AMMAN (JT) ––– His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday underlined the country’s commitment to enhancing concepts of tolerance, love and coexistence among followers of different religions, stressing the important role places of worship play in entrenching the concepts. King Abdullah made the remark during a meeting with several Jordanian Muslim and Christian leaders on the occasion of World Interfaith Harmony Week, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

www.china.org.cn China’s five national religious associations gathered in Beijing on January 28 to issue a Joint Declaration on Promoting Religious Harmony. Representatives from the Buddhist Association of China, the Taoist Association of China, the Islamic Association of China, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the China Christian Council spoke in support of the declaration. The declaration follows a UN General Assembly decision last year to declare the first week of February every year as World Interfaith Harmony Week. Representatives from China’s religious groups all expressed their belief in harmony and peace at the meeting.

The Californian Can we be more open-minded to those proclaiming a different faith or no faith at all?Have we ever treated others who have different beliefs as adversaries undeserving of respect and dignity? Can you imagine knowing and living in a community or a world where love dominates and is manifested as interfaith harmony?

Newszglobe.com The World Interfaith Harmony Week is a worldwide initiative created to foster harmony between both, people of the same faith and those of different faiths Proposed in 2010 by HM King Abdullah II and HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan, the World Interfaith Harmony Week will fall on the first week of February of every year with the aim of promoting harmony between all people regardless of their faith.

The Hindustan Times All over the world there is a struggle taking place within and about religion. Sometimes it results merely in  prejudicial words. Too often it erupts in violence and acts of shocking extremism. The essence of the struggle is this: are people of religious faith prepared to regard those of a different faith with respect and dignity and love? Or do they rather regard them as enemies simply because they don’t share the same faith or religion as them? In each of the main religions such a struggle is being waged everywhere. The outcome of such a struggle has immense implications for all of us.

People’s Daily Online China will provide more support for the country’s religious communities in their international exchanges and communications, said Wang Zuoan, director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs. Wang made the remarks at the 2011 national conference on religious work held in South China’ s Hainan Province on Monday. The administration will actively support religious circles in China to promote the concept of religious harmony during the first World Interfaith Harmony Week, which has been recognized by the United Nations and will be held in the first week of February, Wang said. Additionally, Wang said that the country is working to streamline the social security system to further benefit religious personnel. Source.

URI Charles Gibbs and Yoland Trevino sent a letter to H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan on December 17 thanking him for his leadership in creating a UN-sponsored World Interfaith Harmony Week on the first week in February, and pledging the support of the URI network. The week was established by United Nations resolution in October. Like the International Day of Peace, Interfaith Harmony Week will be an opportunity for URI CCs and like-minded organizations around the world to organize events to promote and celebrate interfaith peace and understanding. URI staff will produce a toolkit to share ideas and resources with members and friends. Stay tuned! Source.

SufiNews By DPI Staff Reporter, *GA Adopts Consensus Resolution Proclaiming First Week of February Each Year “World Interfaith Harmony Week”* – United Nations News and Media Division – New York, NY, USA / Wednesday, October 20, 2010 First Week of February Each Year proclaimed World Interfaith Harmony Week Prince Ghazi Bin Mohammad, Personal Envoy and Special Adviser to the King of Jordan, introduced the draft resolution on World Interfaith Harmony Week (document A/65/L.5).

Jordan Times AMMAN (Petra) – His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday underlined Jordan’s commitment to enhancing the values of tolerance, love, coexistence and fraternity among Muslims and Christians.

BRUSSELS – Imam Yahya Pallavicini gave a speech on behalf of the European Muslim Leaders during the meeting with the Council of Europe President Van Rompuy and with the European Jewish Leaders where he urged everyone to further work on interfaith harmony activities.

Jordan Times Following is the full text of the Declaration on Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue signed by the European leaders in the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah:

AMMAN (JT) –– His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday stressed the need to activate interfaith dialogue to build bridges of tolerance and understanding between cultures, a Royal Court statement said.

Jordan Times AMMAN (JT) – His Majesty King Abdullah met on Wednesday with King Albert II of Belgium and discussed ways to increase Jordan’s cooperation with Belgium and the EU. Discussions also focused on the latest regional developments, mainly the Middle East peace efforts.

Interfaith Society Judy Lee Trautman writes: I recently received an email from HRH Prince Ghazi of Jordan, the personal envoy of HM King Abdullah II, that imparted wonderful news of a resolution of the United Nations to designate the first week of February every year as the World Interfaith Harmony Week. Hopefully NAIN member organizations will want to support this wonderful week. Indeed, we ought to celebrate the spirit of this week every day. Here is the text of the email:

UN Alliance of Civilizations The UN Alliance of Civilizations High Representative, President Jorge Sampaio, has welcomed the establishment of the World Interfaith Harmony Week from 1 to 7 February, 2011.

European Union @ The UN Mr. Chairman, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union on the resolution A/65/L. 5 entitled “Interfaith Harmony Week” that was just adopted. The European Union would like to extend its thanks to the delegation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for the constructive spirit in which it has led the consultation process on this resolution, as well as for its readiness to incorporate in the resolution a number of suggestions put forward by the EU.

International Foundation for Interreligious and Intercultural Education The United Nations General Assembly has unanimously established, the first week in February, as the World Interfaith Harmony Week. The resolution was first proposed by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan on September 23rd 2010 – Prince Ghazi later introduced it and explained it to the U.N. assembly. The operative text of the Resolution says, remarkably:

http://www.taghribnews.ir/ United Nations created World Interfaith Harmony Week to be held each year in the first week of February. The United Nations Annual World Interfaith Harmony Week goes a long way towards ending religious war, violence and crime.It means that people will be able to live in safety and peace and have food to eat. There is a saying, “It is time to stop worrying and do something about it.” World Interfaith Harmony Week is the idea of Jordan’s King Abdullah and Jordan’s Prince Ghazi.

Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation by Edd K. Usman MANILA, Philippines – On the initiative of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Nations General Assembly has unanimously proclaimed the holding of the “World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs” to be observed yearly on the first week of February starting in 2011. In support of the effort to achieve world peace, the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID) headed by Amina Rasul, has joined the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in hailing the UN General Assembly resolution establishing the World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW).

en.bdtodaynews.com Ref: Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu hailed the passing of the UN General Assembly Resolution proclaiming the first week of February each year as the World Interfaith Harmony Week.

www.uri.org The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on October 20, 2010 creating “World Faith Harmony Week” to be held on the first February of every year. The resolution was introduced by Prince Ghazi Bin Mohammad, the Personal Envoy and Special Advisor to the King of Jordan, and coordinator of A Common Word, a group of Muslim scholars dedicated to promoting dialogue and understanding between Muslims and Christians.

Reuters: Tom Heneghan The United Nations General Assembly passes a stack of resolutions every year and many of them go all but unnoticed. One such document just approved in New York established a new World Interfaith Harmony Week. High-minded resolutions put most news junkies to sleep, so it’s probably no surprise this one got such scant media coverage (see here and here). But there’s more to this one than meets the glazed-over eye.

AMMAN- The United Nations General Assembly adopted on Wednesday an initiative launched by His Majesty King Abdullah II to hold “World Interfaith Harmony Week” on the first week of February of every year.

www.opposingviews.com : Karen Fish Bravo! Yesterday October 20, 2010, 10/20/10 the United Nations created World Interfaith Harmony Week to be held each year in the first week of February. If your lawn has weeds and you mow your lawn, the weeds will always come back. Unless you get down on your knees with your $2 weeder and pull out the roots of the weeds, the weeds will always return. Yesterday the United Nations took a huge step towards everlasting world peace.

Kuwait News Agency UNITED NATIONS, Oct 21 (KUNA) — The UN General Assembly late Wednesday adopted a consensus resolution, proposed by Jordan, proclaiming the first week of February of every year “World Interfaith Harmony Week” among all faiths and beliefs.

UN Radio: Dianne Penn The King of Jordan is proposing annual observance of a World Interfaith Harmony Week to promote tolerance among different faiths. Dianne Penn reports.

The Jordan Times NEW YORK (Petra) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh on Friday stressed the importance of the draft resolution proposed to the UN General Assembly by His Majesty King Abdullah to set up an annual World Interfaith Harmony Week.