The following Editorial was submitted to the local paper, the Press Journal of Vero Beach, FL and signed with the faith leaders names and congregations:

Guest Editorial:  World Interfaith Harmony Week and ICIRC

In honor of World Interfaith Harmony Week, established as the first week of February as proposed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999, The Interfaith Community of the Treasure Coast would like to recognize and promote the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions, and beliefs in their call for peace, inclusivity, and mutual understanding while emphasizing compassion. 

We would like to promote this initiative by calling together leaders - Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Spiritualists, and those of other faiths and those of no faiths - to engage in a dialogue based on the common fundamental religious Commandments:  Love of God, and Love of the Neighbor and Love of the Good, without compromising any of their own religious tenets.  These Commandments are at the heart of all religions and also those of no faith. 

The Interfaith Community of Indian River County would like to promote locally the principles as expressed in the various United Nations proclamations of World Interfaith Harmony Week:

·       Recognize the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions throughout the Treasure Coast by enhancing mutual understanding, harmony, and cooperation among people;

·       Recall with appreciation various local spiritual initiatives of mutual understanding and interfaith harmony;

·       Recognize that the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions and beliefs call for peace, inclusivity and mutual understanding;

·       Reaffirm that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace and a world of compassion;

·       Celebrate the first week of February of every year as the World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs;

·       Encourage all citizens throughout the Treasure Coast 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 one’s Neighbor, and on the love of the Good, each according to their own religious traditions or convictions;

While the UN’s World Interfaith Harmony Week is only one week, we at Interfaith Community of the Treasure Coast want to promote these ideals throughout the year.  This promotion of Interfaith Harmony can be seen through the following acts:

·       Dine and Dialogue towards the end of each month at CJ Cannons at 6:00 pm

·       Our participation in the Four Chaplains service every February

·       Interfaith Community’s Thanksgiving Service on Gratitude on the Monday before Thanksgiving every year

·       Special Prayer Services and Vigils throughout the year following major events such as the Rowing Club’s accident and worship service shooting incidents in Australia and Pittsburgh

The faith leaders from the Interfaith Community of the Treasure Coast signed below wish to lend their voice to the call to celebrate this year’s World Interfaith Harmony Week from February 1, 2020 through February 7, 2020.