On Feb. 4, 2013, A Better Community for All/Pakistan (ABC4ALL) hosted a celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week at the ABC4ALL School in Lahore, Pakistan.
Principal Yuel Bhatti, coordinator of the Cooperation Circle, shared the World Interfaith Harmony Week message of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with his students, and reminded them that they were sharing a celebration with many organizations throughout the world – including the United Religions Initiative.
Muslim and Christian children shared food they had brought from home with each other, as well as a series of Peace and Harmony placards – prepared with the help of teachers Miss Anum Riaz, Miss Nazia Karmat and Ms. Ruth Iqbal.
The students also presented songs and poems on the theme of harmony, love and peace, and exchanged flowers with their teachers and each other. They concluded the event by reciting the peace prayer of St. Francis of Assisi together.
“It was a good gesture that created harmony and love among the Muslim and Christian students,” said Principal Yuel Bhatti.
In addition, the school installed a Peace Pole on its grounds on March 23, Pakistan Day, with the help of members of URI Pakistan. Created by the World Peace Prayer Society, each Peace Pole is a hand-crafted monument that displays the message and prayer “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in many languages. Each is a reminder to visualize and pray for world peace.
For more images of the World Interfaith Harmony Week event, visit A Better Community for All/Pakistan on Facebook.
