INTERFAITH HARMONY DAY OBSERVED IN JORDAN
On Sunday, the 14th/27th of April 2014, the World Interfaith Harmony Day was observed in Amman, Jordan. The day was proposed by the Royal Hashemite family and adopted by a UN resolution in 2010.
The event has been established by the Royal Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as an encounter between religious agents, both Christians and Muslims, laymen and clerics alike, for the fight against religious fanaticism, religious unrest, violence and terrorism, and the cultivation of potentials for religious coexistence within modesty, peace, concord and harmony.
The event, which took place in Amman, at the Royal Hashemite Court, was attended by H.M. King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi. Sheik Ali Gomaa of Egypt, Munib Younan, the Lutheran Bishop in Jerusalem, and Princess Areej Ghazi, all gave speeches.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem was represented by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by the Elder Secretary-General, His Eminence Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, and the Most Reverend Archimandrite Ieronymos, hegoumen at Fhes.
His Beatitude spoke in English after Sheik Ali Gumaa of Egypt: https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/2014/04/27/6600
Following the speeches, His Majesty the King presented the King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein Prizes for the World Interfaith Harmony Week, to the following:
The first prize went to the Silsilah dialogue movement in Zamboanga City, the Philippines. The second prize went to Mr Saeed Khan Falahi, and the third prize was shared between the Jamal Farghaly Secondary School for Boys in Egypt and Mr. Michael Boyondo and Mrs. Irene Bulindi of Uganda for “Faiths Together”.
The Panel of Judges for the Awards consisted of: Princess Areej Ghazi, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem; Sheik Dr Ai Gomaa; Bishop Munib Younan; Father Nabil Haddad; Dr Minwer Al Mheid and Mr Aftab Ahmed.
From the Secretariat-General