Christian Council launches Interfaith Harmony Week

The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has launched a national Interfaith Harmony Week to deepen interfaith engagements in the country.

The Week, which is the first of its kinds aims at bringing people from all faiths to participate in various activities that would promote peace, unity, religious tolerance and development in the country.

The week-long programme which will be celebrated under the theme “One Nation, Many Faiths” starts from September 28 to October 4, 2015, and will feature activities such as games, musical concerts, what-do-you-know, lectures and debates in some selected venues across the country.

In his welcome address at the launch last Wednesday in Accra, the General Secretary of the CCG, Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong said the Interfaith Harmony Week is a proactive response by the CCG to deal with any potential threats to interfaith relations and harmony in Ghana.

He explained that, the Week is part of a systematic programme by the CCG to further deepen peaceful engagements between people of different faiths and cultural persuasions.

“There have been some pockets of tensions among Christians and Muslims in some parts of the country. These pockets of tensions which have become a source of concern have led to the destructions of properties, and sometimes the loss of lives. Some of these clashes have also happened as a result chieftaincy disputes among people from the same community.

In addition to the seeming pockets of tensions that the country sometimes experiences, the recent religious clashes in Syria, Libya, Egypt, Central Africa Republic, Kenya and Nigeria have further aggravated the need to deepen religious harmony in Ghana” he indicated.

He, however, stated that, despite these pockets of tensions which are sometimes seen in the country, interfaith relations in the country are very encouraging.

Rev. Opuni-Frimpong opined that, Ghana is touted to be one of the most peaceful nations in the world, adding that, she has become a shining example to other African countries, and the world at large when it comes to how people of different faiths can relate and live with each other peacefully.

For him, this feat has been possible because of the continued efforts by the CCG and other religious bodies in the country to engage in various forms of activities to promote peaceful coexistence.

The Minister of Communications, Hon. Dr. Edward Omane-Boamah, who was the Guest of Honor for the launch in his remarks commended the CCG for the initiative.

He also commended the other religious bodies in the country for their commitment towards peaceful coexistence and the development of the country.

“The recent religious clashes in Nigeria, Kenya and other parts of the world have now become a major source of concern to government. This, therefore, places a responsibility on us to develop innovative ways to strengthen and protect the current religious harmony we are enjoying in our beloved country. Today’s launch is very significant and I am happy to learn that the Council is doing this together with leaders from the other religious groups” he revealed.

Dr. Omane Boama encouraged Ghanaians to guard against any action that has the tendency to create religious tensions and pledged the support of the ministry to the Week.

On her part, the President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG), Mrs. Shola Safo-Duodu said her organization is happy to partner the CCG to organize the Week this year.

She noted that, businesses can only function and thrive in a peaceful environment, hence the need for corporate organisations to be interested in promoting interfaith harmony.

The Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey, who did the official launch of the Week, indicated that unless the citizens learnt to live together as one people irrespective of their religious or political leanings, the nation would gradually drift apart and that could lead to disorder.

Corporate organisations sponsoring the first ever Interfaith Harmony Week are Unibank Ghana Limited, First Allied Savings and Loans Limited, Star Assurance Company Limited and Fan Milk Ghana Limited.