A cross section of faiths and nations joined as one, at the fourth annual World Interfaith Harmony Assembly, held this year at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Bear Road in Liverpool. Nearly 400 people attended with fourteen faiths either performing or speaking at the event. The gathering was presented by Interfaith Works of CNY and Women Transcending Boundaries.

Before the start of the assembly new arrivals were directed to leave a painted imprint of their hand on a banner that was slated to be sent to the United Nations. The Syracuse Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of American Choir opened the program singing the traditional Harmony Song by C. Burgess, arranged by Dr. Joan Hillsman.

The history of the World Interfaith Harmony dates back to 2007 when The Common Word Initiative called for Muslim and Christian leaders to engage in dialogue around two common fundamental religious commandments: Love of God and Love of Thy Neighbor. On October 20 2010 the United Nations General Assembly unanimously established the World Interfaith Harmony Wee

Some of the faiths represented by performance and spoken word were: the Sikh Foundation of Syracuse, the Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church and Congregation Beth Sholom Chevra Shas, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Bhutanese-Nepali Hindu Community, Goddess Path/Wicca, Islamic Society of CNY, Church World Service, Liverpool 1st United Methodist Church, the Zen Center of Syracuse, The Baha’i Faith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

– See more at: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/cny_faiths_converge_at_interfaith_assembly_in_liverpool.html