Uniting Church to participate in Interfaith service for International Day of Peace

Uniting Church to participate in Interfaith service for International Day of Peace

The Uniting Church President and NSW ACT Moderator will take part in an online Interfaith service that will mark the 2020 International Day of Peace on Monday 21 September.

Dr Sue Wareham will deliver the Occasional Address. Dr Wareham is President of the Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia), and a board member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons,  which was awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

Uniting Church Assembly President Dr Deidre Palmer and NSW ACT Moderator Rev. Simon Hansford will be among the speakers representing the Uniting Church.

Rev. Thresi  Mauboy Wohang, Moderator for the Northern Synod, will also take part.

Representatives from Aboriginal, Armenian Apostolic, Bahai, Brahmakumaris, Buddhist, Catholic, Coptic, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish, Mandaean, Sikh, Sufi, Uniting Church, and Zoroastrian Communities will offer prayers for peace, and there will be time for silent reflection. There will also be some musical items.

There will be opportunity to light a candle for Peace during the service, and attendees are encouraged to have a candle for this part.

This year’s event will be hosted via Zoom.

Rev. Dr Manas Ghosh (who recently said farewell to Leigh Memorial Uniting Church) is one of the event organisers.

“International Day of Peace deserves observance from people of all sorts of background because people from all over the world are seeking peace,” Rev. Dr Ghosh said.

“This particular service creates the platform where people from diverse faith and cultural background see this deepest human desire for peace and what their scriptures and religious traditions are saying about achieving this peace.”

“This brings followers of diverse religions to see one another as friends, not enemies, which in turn help create a mutually respectful, harmonious and peaceful community.

“I’m happy to say that I’ve seen this relationship growing and blossoming over the years.”

The 55th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations designated 21 September as International Day of Peace.

The International Day of Peace Interfaith Prayer Service takes place on Monday 21 September from 2 pm via Zoom. You can access the service here. Meeting ID: 999 2857 3628.

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