Alignment’s Virtual Prayer for Peace for World interfaith Harmony Week 2024
Alignment’s Virtual Prayer Wall for Peace
For the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, Alignment hosted a digital prayer wall with a culminating event to lift the prayers for peace left on the wall in celebration of the week of World Interfaith Harmony. The project was shared directly with over 500 faith leaders representing the traditions of Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Taoism, Sikhism, Baha’i, several Indigenous/Native tribes, Zoroastrianism, and Pagan/Wiccan. WIHW committee members from the board of Alignment, Asheq Fazlullah, Rev. Barbara Chaapel, Molly Hicks, Hazzan Harold Messinger, Rev. Dr. Margaret Somerville sat vigil with the wall through the week and led a service at the end of the week to lift each prayer.
For the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, Alignment hosted a digital prayer wall with a culminating event to lift the prayers for peace left on the wall in celebration of the week of World Interfaith Harmony. The project was shared directly with over 500 faith leaders representing the traditions of Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Taoism, Sikhism, Baha’i, several Indigenous/Native tribes, Zoroastrianism, and Pagan/Wiccan. WIHW committee members from the board of Alignment, Asheq Fazlullah, Rev. Barbara Chaapel, Molly Hicks, Hazzan Harold Messinger, Rev. Dr. Margaret Somerville sat vigil with the wall through the week and led a service at the end of the week to lift each prayer.
On this wall, participants from these different faith traditions offered prayers and messages in the pursuit of peace and interfaith harmony in recognition of WIHW. With a completely online presence, there was global participation, and this was a no-cost way for the event to be wide-reaching and accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Participants accessed the wall through Alignment’s website, newsletter, mailing list, social media posts (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), and magazine articles posted about the event. Messages were left in the form of images, songs, prayers, poems, quotes, or just a few words of hope. The intention was to further the aims and objectives of the WIHW to “spread the message of harmony and tolerance among the followers of all the world’s religions, faiths and beliefs.” Our peace wall was based on the “Love of God and Love of the Neighbor, and Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor”. And by very nature of the platform, we were able to invite everyone, exclude no one, and allow the opportunity for participants to give light to their own tradition, alongside others, all in the pursuit of harmony and peace.
We are grateful that after six years, we have build this expansive community of faith leaders for the World Interfaith Harmony Week. At the culminating service, each offering left on the wall was read and lifted in prayer, with people from different faith traditions, leaders and lay, in attendance. It was a deeply moving experience of being together after a week of sitting vigil with the wall as entries were offered on each of the seven days preceding. We concluded with a prayer based on the Prophet Muhammad's words about peace and justice.
May we build a common community from our different traditions, all seeking peace for our ailing world.
Attached PDF FileImages for this event
