WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK 2017-PHILIPPINES
The United Nations Interfaith Harmony Partners-Zamboanga (UNI-HP-Z) with the Silsilah Dialogue Movement (SDM) as the leading group will celebrate the 5th year of the World Interfaith Harmony Week with the theme: “Celebrating Life in the Spirit of Mercy and Compassion”.
The United Nations Interfaith Harmony Partners- Zamboanga (UNI-HP-Z)
Partners are groups or institutions willing to be part of the WIHW promising to offer any possible form of support and involvement. Each partner can be represented by three persons as members to represent their own group.
Associate Members are those individuals willing to be part of the WIHW and fill up our application forms.
The goals of the group are:
Maintain alive the spirit of the World Interfaith Harmony
Week and;
Develop harmony and solidarity among partners
and associate members.
Each of the partner group is free to continue pursuing its own objectives as a group but will work with other partners in implementing activities for the World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration every year.
Funding of the activities undertaken during the World Interfaith Harmony Week is the responsibility of each sponsoring group, unless explicitly agreed by the partners to have a different setup.
Silsilah Dialogue Movement is in charge of the UN I-HP– Z
Represented by :
♦ Convenor- Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra , PIME
♦ Christian Coordinator – Atty. Arsenio L. Gonzalez, Jr.
♦ Muslim Coordinator – Atty. Moh. Taha S. Arakama
♦ Secretary – Elizabeth L. Solis, EDC
Background of the Celebration
The United Nations (UN) Resolution of October 20, 2010 recognized “the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people.” This inspired the Silsilah Dialogue Movement to celebrate the World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) every first week of February. The groundbreaking celebration of the WIHW in Zamboanga City commenced in February 2012 and was participated in by different partners and groups.
The response was enthusiastic. With the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) as the lead group and the Silsilah Dialogue Movement as the Secretariat, several organizations became involved in planning and executing the activities for the celebration set for February 01 to 07, 2012.
The success of the 2012 celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) in Zamboanga City was overwhelming and motivating for the groups involved to continue to work together in carrying out future celebrations. The groups in Zamboanga City decided to form a loose association among themselves which they named United Nations Interfaith-Harmony Partners-Zamboanga (UNI-HP-Z).
Moreover, Zamboanga City’s 1st District Congressional Representative Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco–Salazar (now the Mayor of Zamboanga City) sponsored a bill in the House enjoining the celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week in the Philippines as encouraged by the UN Resolution. Senator Loren Legarda sponsored a similar version for the Senate.
Both bills passed the respective houses and became a law of the land upon signing by President Benigno S. Aquino III, the Republic Act No. 10525:
“An Act declaring the First Week of February of every year as World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) in the entire country and mandating its observance by the different Government Agencies.”
The experience of working together for the 2012 celebration brought the same groups in Zamboanga City to carry out the celebration every year up to now.
The Silsilah Forum in Davao City, the Interfaith Council (IFC) in Basilan and the Interreligious Center of Quiapo Church in Manila which are run by Silsilah, started also to implement activities to celebrate WIHW 2013. The Silsilah Forum Davao reported the activities done and was given honorable mention by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought. The news of this award was relayed to the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines.
The WIHW 2014 celebration brought the Zamboanga Partners led by Silsilah to win the First Prize in the World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014. H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan sponsors the annual WIHW Prize.
In 2016, the UNI HARMONY Partners of Manila formed by many groups and Silsilah, in their initial stage, have received the Second Prize in the World Interfaith Harmony Week International of His Majesty, King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Silsilah continues to serve the UNI-HP-Z as secretariat of the WIHW Zamboanga Partners. At the same time the Silsilah Dialogue Movement (SDM) is recognized by many as the convener on the National Level for the WIHW starting from the Silsilah Forum groups in Mindanao and in the whole Philippines. Silsilah continues to invite all to celebrate the World Interfaith Harmony Week every year.