WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK Monday, February 4 – Friday, February 8, Various Locations Join the spiritual and religious communities of Northeastern University and the Center for Spirituality, Dialogue and Service (CSDS) as we celebrate World Interfaith Harmony Week. This annual observance is promoted by the United Nations as a time to gain greater understanding of different global religious traditions as we pursue peace, social justice, and sustainability together. We will begin the celebration with an Open House in the Sacred Space (200 Ell Hall) Monday February 4, 3:00-5:00 pm and conclude the week with an interfaith opportunity called “Renew!: A Spirituality & Leadership Retreat” at the Friendly Crossways retreat center in beautiful hills of Harvard, Mass, Friday February 8-Sunday February 10. Space is limited, so please register early online. There will be further opportunities to engage in dialogue, learning, community service, and visiting various religious groups on campus during this week and throughout the semester. For more information or to register for the retreat, visit www.neu.edu/spirituallife, call 617-373-2728, email [email protected] or stop by the CSDS and the Sacred Space, 200-203 Ell Hall.

María Ágústsdóttir February 5 Greetings from Iceland - a nation of 330.000 inhabitants! Yesterday, we had an Interfaith Harmony Meal at the worship place of the Bahá´í community and are planning a seminar on Human Rights. We have had a Forum for Interfaith Dialogue since 2006, consisting of (now) 19 different religious and lifestance organisations.

Baghdad, 8 February 2013 – To mark the World Interfaith Harmony Week (1-7 February), United Nations envoy Mr. Martin Kobler and a UN delegation participated in a series of visits to several holy places, including the shrine of Imam Hanifa Al-Aadham, Imam Khadum Shrine, Sayyidat Al-Najat Church and the temple of the Sabean Mandeans. The UN delegation was accompanied by some 30-40 Iraqi youth from different backgrounds, and worked closely with cultural and civil volunteer youth activist Ali Al-Makhzomy on changing perceptions about the role youth and religious leaders can play in promoting peace and harmony among the different communities in Iraq.

Recognizing that connectedness among the world’s faiths is a key to building lasting peace, the United Nations has designated the first week of every February as World Interfaith Harmony Week. Two events and a project for the common good will honor the spirit of this Week in Kona. All are welcome to join in one or both events, and to help with the project! 1) Interfaith Meditation: from 6:30-7:30pm on Wednesday, February 6, at Kona’s Unity Church: Unity is located in Kona Center, corner of Kuakini Highway and Hanama Place (near Big Island Grill). A guided meditation for healing and peace, in ourselves and in the world, it will be led by Pastor Deb Knowles

1. Project’s Organization. Global Harmony Association (GHA): www.peacefromharmony.org 2. Project’s Authors on February 8, 2013. 27 GHA Members from 14 Confessions and 14 Countries 3. Project’s key feature. It is founded on the history first the ABC of Harmony and derived from it the global harmonious education and consciousness ensuring sustainable world interfaith harmony. 4. Project’s Start. December 7, 2012 5. Project’s Approval by the GHA. February 8, 2013 6. Project’s Location. Global. It is Unlimited on the Countries. 7. Project’s Life Time and Development. Unlimited 8. Project’s Discussion Participants during February 1-7, 2013. More than 80 people of 27 countries 9. Project’s Languages. English and Russian. It is planed in the UN six languages 10. Project’s Publication. Electronic. It is planed for paper publication as a world textbook 11. Project’s Content on February 8, 2013. 30 authors articles, 2 poems, Nicholas Roerich's 13 paintings of the Interfaith Harmony Leaders and 4 Appendixes. 12. Project’s Length on February 8, 2013. 130 pages 13. Project’s Phone Use. Smartphone App: Interfaith (see: www.author-me.com/worldpeacearticles.html) 14. Project’s using. As the second Global Textbook for interfaith harmony after the ABC of Harmony 15. Project’s analogs in the world. They do not exist.

Heeding the call to mark this important week of interfaith dialogue, the Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies hosted a breakfast at Café Riteve for local faith-based leaders and diplomats.

Philippine Embassy in London Hosts WIHW

First Drops is a children's (ages 5-13)interfaith organization dedicated to promoting religious harmony through education and community service. Throughout the year, the children work together to learn about each other's religions through dialogue and visits to houses of worship. In addition, the children learn the value of working together by performing community service. Every 2nd Sunday of the month, the children provide a hot meal to 150-200 homeless people in Santa Ana, CA. The families make the food and the children come out to serve the community. In addition, the children collect toys, clothes, raincoats, toiletries, etc. for those in need throughout the year. For World Interfaith Harmony Week, on Sunday, February 10, 2013, the children served about 150 homeless with a hot meal and passed out raincoats to help them though the rainy season in the morning. Then, they later attended the World Interfaith Harmony Film Festival, where they won the prize for "Young Voices for Harmony" for their interfaith film "Interfaith Carol". The film was written, produced, directed, filmed and edited by the children. The film depicted how important it is for us to let go of our past and come to an understanding of all the religions around us. And from the past year, we have noted that these kids are more confident and supportive of others. They are balanced in loving their religion and respecting the beliefs of others. This is a quality, when learned early on, will last their entire lifetime.

Min. of state for Elderly & Disability affairs and also Bbaale county MP, Hon. Sulaiman Kyebakoze Madada has stressed the significance of strengthening interfaith harmony in the country. Madada revealed that world over, politics & the church are involved in the state formation thus one can not do without the other. He noted therefore, that there is need of an advocacy Uganda in particular that focuses on interfaith harmony dialogue if conflicts are to be avoided. He said that its imperative to know that conflicts are not bad if they are managed appropriately under the principles of dialogue which is open minded, compassionate, tolerance among others. This was at a dinner in Katikomu Hotel Kayunga town to mark the Interfaith Harmony Week which started on Monday organised by Global Citizens International Kayunga.

After the success of two great events for the World Interfaith Harmony Week, and with the request of many entities, YARA will hold its third annual "COEXIST" event with the theme, "Faith and Society". YARA will engage the audience in a unique experience of real life examples of the importance and implementation of one's faith and responsibility towards society. Speakers of various ages and religions will lead the event, with the screening of a few influential videos. YARA aims to inspire and motivate individuals to be active agents of change in their societies.