The World Interfaith Harmony Week provides a platform—one week in a year—when all interfaith groups and other groups of goodwill can show the world what a powerful movement they are. The thousands of events organized by these groups often go unnoticed not only by the general public, but also by other groups themselves. This week will allow for these groups to become aware of each other and strengthen the movement by building ties and avoiding duplicating each others’ efforts.
The World Interfaith Harmony Week was first proposed at the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2010 by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan. Just under a month later, on October 20, 2010, it was unanimously adopted by the UN and henceforth the first week of February will be observed as a World Interfaith Harmony Week.
The World Interfaith Harmony Week is based on the pioneering work of The Common Word initiative. This initiative, which started in 2007, called for Muslim and Christian leaders to engage in a dialogue based on two common fundamental religious Commandments; Love of God, and Love of the Neighbour, without nevertheless compromising any of their own religious tenets. The Two commandments are at the heart of the three Monotheistic religions and therefore provide the most solid theological ground possible.
The World Interfaith Harmony Week extends the Two Commandments by adding ‘Love of the Good, and Love of the Neighbour’. This formula includes all people of goodwill. It includes those of other faiths, and those with no faith.
It is hoped that this initiative will provide a focal point from which all people of goodwill can recognize that the common values they hold far outweigh the differences they have, and thus provide a strong dosage of peace and harmony to their communities.
The Charter for Compassion offering for the World Interfaith Harmony Week 2025 is part of the RISE (Religion, Interfaith and Spirituality on Earth) Sector activities.
This year it will comprise of a 14-day series of Living Wisdom: Meditations and Practices for a Compassionate Life
February 1 to 14, 2025
This unique 14-day workshop encompasses faith traditions from different religions and cultures. Using prayers, chants, meditations and visualizations, to awaken Love and Peace, and Compassion within the Hearts, the inspired presenters will offer insights and practices to purify and heal our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy fields.
Each daily session lasting an hour may include breath work, chanting, meditation, art work and spiritual exercises.
Our intention is to awaken our higher consciousness so that we may connect to the other through the heart, and be of authentic service to our common humanity and all of creation.
1. Wisdom offering: A chant, prayer, meditation, guided visualization, or spiritual practice
2. Personal reflection: Share with group
3. Reflection: Invite participants to reflect on and share their experience of what has been offered. This can be prompted by a question.
4. Practice: Invite participants to follow up with a related action later that day. Examples which came out of our meeting include: performing an act of kindness or compassion, volunteering time for a cause one cares about, offering assistance to someone in need, writing down three moments from the day when you witnessed or extended kindness. Offer a sincere word of encouragement or support. Donate to a charity. Help a neighbor or a friend. Reflect on how these actions enriched your life and others. Reflect on what has been shared today, then journal and/or write a poem or song or story.
5. Invite attendees to post their responses in a “Harmony Journal” on a digital wall through the Padlet platform, where people can post messages, pictures, videos, songs, quotes. We can all see what each of us has posted.
6. Invite attendees to join us for our next offering and to let others know about what we are doing.
Session 1 | Welcome to the beginning of our series of sessions for WIHW 2025! |
Session 2 | Celebrating Imbolc with Interfaith Alignment |
Session 3 | Ram Mohan Rai, Delhi INDIA: 'Living Wisdom from a Gandhi perspective' |
Session 4 | Cynn Nielsen, LMT: "RadiantFlow Five Element QiGong for Health and Wellbeing " |
Session 5 | Arun Wakhlu and Imam Jamal Rahman: "Dancing with the Compassionate Heart of Humanity." |
Session 6 | Heidi Rautionmaa/ Finland: 'Harmony and well-being in Northern Tradition and Sami Wisdom' |
Session 7 | Rev. Dr. Urzula Glienecke 'When the Dark Closes In - Poetry and Sculpture' |
Session 8 | Dr. Karishma Koka and Mrs. Jerou Panthaki RamMohan (Zoroastrianism) 'Living Wisdom with Action from a Zoroastrian Perspective' |
Session 9 | Rose Bui: "Living Wisdom: The CaoDai Perspective of Welcoming All Peoples through Harmony" |
Session 10 | Rev. Jan Chase: " Living Wisdom: A New Thought/Unity Meditation on our Evolving Consciousness inspired by Spiral Dynamics and Beyond." |
Session 11 | Rev. Steve Kramer: " Living Wisdom: Clearing and Shielding Practices for Thriving in Today's World" |
Session 12 | The Interfaith Amigos (Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan, Pastor Don Mackenzie and Imam Jamal Rahman) present "Interspiritual Wisdom and Practices for Living a Life of Compassion and Joy." |
Session 13 | Greg Patenaude: "Compassion In the Age of Conflict" |
Session 14 | Roel Crabbe: "Living Wisdom: Shamanic Journeying." |